


From Fire, We Shall Rise

by walkingpottergirl14



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: BAMF Daenerys Targaryen, BAMF Jon Snow, Canon Rewrite, Dark Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Grief/Mourning, R Plus L Equals J, What-If, because let's be honest season five was where everything started to go wrong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:35:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 255,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27183917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walkingpottergirl14/pseuds/walkingpottergirl14
Summary: The Sons of the Harpy have taken over the Great Pyramid. Daenerys is nearly killed by a former slave master when Ser Barristan comes to her aid, saving her life. Instead of continuing down a long-path of regrets to try and gain peace, while one of her dragons is missing and the others are locked up, her most-trusted protector comes up with an idea - travel to where the last Targaryen is, Maester Aemon, and get his advice on what to do. When they arrive, Daenerys meets acting Lord Commander, Jon Snow. And from there, the world will never be the same.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Comments: 2594
Kudos: 864





	1. Arrival at the Wall

_Daenerys_

When she awoke, it was dark. And something was…moving.

The last thing Daenerys had remembered was an invasion of the pyramid in Meereen. She had been trying so hard to somehow regain peace, but everything she did seemed to just…fall apart. She hadn't meant for the Sons of Harpy to grow to such an extent where they were _easily_ able to break into the Great Pyramid…there must have been spies on the inside.

She remembered Greyworm rushing up to her, saying that some of their men had broken in and were fighting the guards. Missandei had urged Daenerys to run as far as she could, but they didn't make it that long before someone had crushed something against the back of her head. Her vision had gone blurred.

The last thing she had seen was Missandei trying to help her and getting knocked down as well before the world had gone black. Gods, the back of her head was _killing_ her. How hard had that man hit her?

She tries to sit up, but a gentle but firm hand pushes her down. "Easy now."

Her brow furrows at the voice. It was Ser Barristan. "W…where am I?"

"You must take it easy, my queen. You were struck severely. If you move too much you might grow unconscious again."

Daenerys brings a hand up to her forehead, feeling the gash of where a cut was. "What happened after…after I was struck? Where's Missandei? Where is…everyone?"

Ser Barristan sighs. "Missandei was hit as hard as you were but she is alive. I was able to kill the man who snuck into your quarters to hurt you. When I saw that you were unconscious…I made a rash decision. You must forgive me."

Her brow furrows at his words. "What happened, Ser Barristan?"

"I care about your deeply, my queen. You are one of the few truly good people left in this world. All you want is justice for the ones who fell without it for a long time. But you've been having so many issues with Meereen lately, and many of your advisors haven't been…extremely helpful regarding the issue. There's only so much we can do to protect you. So much I can do…I was surprised I wasn't killed in the fight."

He walks over to her and holds out a map, lighting up a single candle. The moment a little bit of brightness comes into the room, she sees that it was small, dim, and it smelt…wet, now that she acknowledged it. When she looks at the map, she notices it was a map of Westeros. His aged fingers point to what seemed to be a large mass of ice at the very top.

"I've received word of something here."

Her brow furrows once more. "Word of what?"

"One of your last living relatives is here – at the Wall."

Her eyes widen slightly. She had heard of the Wall. It was where many outcasts went in Westeros, thieves, disdained lords, bastards, crooks – where people felt they could serve a purpose from invaders. She had never been the biggest fan of men serving years and years in the cold tundra for who knows what beyond the wall, but at least they weren't killed.

But a living relative…who?

"Who are they?" she asks quietly.

"His name is Maester Aemon – he is your great uncle. He chose to go to the Wall years ago and has served as the maester there for decades now." He closes the map and sighs, turning to look at her. "Forgive me, my queen, but you are in need of aid. Advice. _Something._ I am here to protect and keep you safe, as are your other men there. Jorah was one of your best advisors and we both know how that turned out."

She feels her blood boil slightly at the mention of her former friend. It still ached her to think of what he had done.

"Alright…then what does…whatever it is that we are doing have to do with Maester Aemon? He must be at least a hundred years old now – how can we know _he'd_ be someone good to give advice to?"

"Maester Aemon was always one of the sharpest men alive – he has so much wisdom beyond his age. I've heard stories of him, and he's experienced _far_ more in life than you have. He's dealt with people who have experienced pain, or disdain for their leaders before he left to serve at the Wall. It would be wise to listen to him. If you want, I can turn back this ship now, but as of this moment, we are heading towards him."

It clicks. She sits up – this time a bit slower so she doesn't hurt herself – and looks at Ser Barristan in shock. "You mean to tell me…that when I was knocked _unconscious_ you stole me away, and now we are traveling to the _Wall_ – _thousands_ of miles away from Meereen?"

"I understand if you are angry," Ser Barristan states. "But you _need_ help. Two of your dragons are locked away, and the other is _gods_ know where. Don't you think the advice of another Targaryen might be of use to you?"

Daenerys sighs and feels her back dip against the wood behind her. "It would, but wouldn't he be able to come to Meereen if we needed him? The people there are in danger."

Barristan raises an eyebrow at her. "Now how smart did that sound?"

Daenerys bites her lip and fights the urge to roll her eyes. Alright, it didn't sound super smart. Fine.

"You know that with someone of that age, travel is a _huge_ risk," Barristan explains quietly. "Meereen will be under Greyworm's hands, as well as the other Unsullied. I believe they can keep the city alive for the time being while you go to the Wall and ask for his help. For _anything._ You need to do so in order to figure out how to tame your dragons, as well as learn how to properly govern these people. You need _family._ I know you want to do everything yourself to prove that you're worthy, but you've done that enough now – there's no harm in asking for help."

She was quiet, looking down at the map. She had always wondered if she had any other family besides Viserys and everyone had always known how that turned out. On the topic of her dragons, she didn't know how much wisdom her great-uncle might have on the subject considering dragons here size hadn't been around during his time. But in all his years of reading and studying, who knew? He might have some sort of idea of what she needed to do.

"I believe it might be the right decision," she says quietly, looking up at her protector. "But at the same time, I thought the Wall was only for men? Why would they accept me there?"

"They'll accept you if you're going to be the bloody Queen of the Seven Kingdoms," Barristan states, his voice hard. "If not, I'll make _sure_ they will. I'm not entirely sure who the new Lord Commander is due to the latest one dying. But we shall see when we get there."

Daenerys feels herself roll her eyes but a thankful smile comes over her lips as well. Barristan would probably always remain protective over her as long as he lived. "I know you will, Barristan." She places a hand against her forehead and sighs. "I suppose this will most likely scar." She sees him nod subtly in the dark, and she sighs. "Sounds about right…it's alright. Scars all have their stories."

"Indeed, they do," he murmurs before standing. "Rest well, my queen. We will not be arriving in White Harbor for a long time. Then and only then will we travel up to the Wall. When we arrive, you must stay as hidden as you can. There are some people here who will serve the queen just to have your head on a platter."

He goes to head up to the top of the ship at this point and she swallows lightly. She always knew she would sail to Westeros eventually – she had only wanted to bring Meereen under peace before she did. However, she had assumed it would be with her army and her men. Instead, it was her, injured on a dinky little ship with her sworn protector.

Who knew what would happen when she crossed into the icy tundra of the North? Hopefully good things. Better than Meereen right now.

* * *

For the gods _sake,_ it was freezing.

Daenerys had heard stories of how living in the North was not a fun life. It was often quite cold and the people who did live up there had ways of keeping themselves warm, but on her end, she did not live out her nights in a warm inn, or even in a shack. No. She lived out the days and nights freezing her arse off with Ser Barristan along the road.

She lost track after some time of how many days it took for them to reach their destination. All Daenerys counted was that it got colder the more north they went, which she prayed meant they were going in the right direction. If she did die out in the freezing cold, it was not how she wanted to go. But death always seemed to have other opportunities around for her.

A part of her had been thinking constantly about Meereen. It wasn't like she had constant communication with them. Barristan seemed to trust Greyworm as well as her followers to keep the city protected until they return. But she was also worried about what might happen now that the person who had taken over was gone, and halfway across the world.

That screamed 'invasions.'

But what else could she do? Yes, she may have her Unsullied, but without her dragons…she truly felt that half of her life source was gone. She had gone for ages because her dragons had given her hope, that _she_ was the last Targaryen that was meant to save her line, and continue their ways of power. But she had lost control of them…and sooner or later, if she wasn't careful, she might lose control of herself.

Daenerys swallows her fears though and would regularly walk behind Ser Barristan, whether that be through the snow or on the ground or even sometimes through water. They had picked up horses from a generous farmer at some point, which helped them in their journeys. As they were passing what she presumed to be the road to Winterfell, she could see smoke in the distance.

Before she could even ask what had happened, Barristan spoke. "There's been a battle for Winterfell recently," he explains to her. "As of now, the Boltons have full occupation of the castle. Stannis Baratheon is trying to take it back to show he is capable of ruling."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "I thought the Starks were the Lords of Winterfell?"

"Well, considering their eldest legitimate son is dead, one daughter is missing, the other is captured by Ramsey, and the other two are _gods_ know where, it's quite hard for the Starks to regain their home."

"One is _captured_?!" Daenerys gasps. "We have to do something!"

"Their fight is _not_ our own, my queen," Barristan urges. "We have come here for a _specific_ reason. We must get to the Wall and find your uncle. That is our one goal."

"What kind of queen am I if I don't risk my life for my people?" she asks him angrily, suddenly stopping her horse in the middle of the road. She sees Barristan visibly sigh and then turns to face her. "I expect to rule this country one day, as I will continue my family's legacy, just as it always has been. How could I look this poor girl in the face and say 'I could have done something to help you, but my protector said _you weren't our problem_?'"

She sees a shift in his eyes at her words. Barristan looks at the ground before quietly nudging his horse over to her, making sure that he didn't speak too loud. "I have heard horror stories of what has gone on in that castle. Trust me. I want to save the girl as much as you do, but we don't have _any_ men at our side. We don't have the resources to properly get into this castle. If all goes well at the Wall, I could possibly gather the right about of people to come with me and bring her to safety, but that's _only_ if they take you in. I'm still sure _someone_ will understand what we are trying to do, but you have to play this carefully. We aren't in Meereen anymore."

Daenerys feels her shoulders drop, staring at the man before glancing back in the direction of Winterfell. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. If they were to try and get the girl now, she didn't know what could happen to them. This Ramsey probably had several guards and men protecting him.

"Fine then," she mutters, finally moving forward with her horse. "But you need to make me a promise. Even if we don't get into the Wall. If we are turned away…we must find a way to save her. I can't think of another woman being trapped away in a castle by some toxic man…it happens too often."

Her protector lets out a soft breath before nodding. "We can do something like that. We just need to make sure that all of our options are covered." It begins to snow around them, tiny movements appearing on her skin. "If I recall, I believe Ned Stark's bastard lives at the Wall."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "Did he grow up with the girl?"

"As far as I can remember, he did. He might be willing to help. I can't recall his name for the life of me. I'm sure we'll meet him if all goes well."

Daenerys nods, letting him take the lead in front of her again. That was at least something that helped her settle easily back onto her horse, despite the nervousness she felt for the girl in the castle. Hell, anyone in that castle. She hated that she didn't have any of her men here. Maybe that was something she could work on while she was visiting – gaining Northern support.

Even so, she knew that eventually, she would have to return, but she would make sure this girl was reunited with her family before she did so.

* * *

It took them another week to arrive at the Wall, a long, freezing, grueling week. By the time they arrived, Daenerys was sure her fingertips were blue. How did these men _survive_ in this cold? They had to have snow inserted into them to somehow keep their hearts going.

But when she arrived there, all her thoughts of cold were suddenly melted away when the Wall came into view. Of course, living in the Great Pyramid was incredible as well. If she recalled, it was one of the tallest objects in the world, standing at 800 feet. It was a true sight to behold. But the Wall…it was something different, that was for sure.

She didn't even know how someone would be able to _build_ something of this caliber only out of _ice and snow._ There had to have been some magic involved or something of the sort. It was beautiful. And all along the edges of the Wall, she could see little stations, where most likely men were on their duty, keeping watch.

"Wow," she whispers, her headscarf almost becoming unwrapped as her head tilted upwards to try and see everything. Her hands quickly secure it around her neck, trying not to expose her hair. Underneath all of these furs and this top on her head, she was a curious girl, but she knew she had to be careful.

Barristan could see her wonder and rides up next to her as they approached the gates. "I know it's a thing to behold, but I need you to keep your head down," he urges her gently, causing her to look over at him. "As I said, women aren't allowed here – I'm sure it's usually a very rare case that they are. You must remain as hidden as possible until we can speak to the Lord Commander."

Daenerys nods quietly, tightening her scarf around her hair, making sure her hair was tucked away. "I understand."

Barristan nods before heading towards in front of her, going to the castle walls. What was the name of this place? Castle Black, if she remembered correctly. It was much smaller than any castle she had ever seen, but what else would she expect? It was meant for men who were thieves or disgraced, not for kings.

Two men appear above the walls as they rode up, looking down at the two of them with suspicion in their eyes. "Who goes there? What is the meaning of your business here?"

Barristan speaks first. "I am a knight bringing a new recruit to the Wall," Barristan states. "We have been traveling for ages due to the lack of gear provided by the capital. I wish to speak to the Lord Commander on getting him settled."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. ' _Him?_ ' She supposed acting like a man, for now, would guarantee that they get in.

The guard at the top, however, raises an eyebrow. "A new recruit? We aren't expecting an influx of anyone."

"If I recall correctly, one didn't need an appointment to show up at the Wall," Barristan points out, looking up at the man. "This man has his only chance here to survive and was sentenced by the courtship in King's Landing to live out the rest of his days here and you want to risk that sentence and turn him away? I do not think the king will be happy about that."

Daenerys sees the two men up top glance at each other, while on them begrudgingly rolls his eyes and looks back to them. "Open the gates. I'll get the Lord Commander."

Said man disappeared again and the doors swung open slowly. Daenerys made sure to hide deep within her scarf as she noticed the _multitude_ of men that were staring in her direction as they rode in on their horses. Avoiding contact with possibly _everything,_ she jumps down as Barristan comes over to her, giving her a bag of belongings. They had stopped in a couple of shops in small towns along the way to get her some furs and other clothing – better than the silk dresses she had before.

Daenerys glances into the bag as she hears a door open, but doesn't look up. "Ser Barristan…I didn't even think you were still in Westeros. What's this about a new recruit?"

The voice makes her look up, and Daenerys feels herself still slightly. The man that had come out had dark hair, almost the color of a raven, with stormy eyes that seemed to be lost somewhere else at the moment. He had on furs – as everyone else here seemed to have – and had a sword at his side, one that was hidden within its holster.

"Ah. Are _you_ the Lord Commander?" Barristan asks as he steps forward. "You seem quite young."

The man steps forward down the stairs to where Barristan stood. "I was elected by the people. Not my choice. But I am if that answers your question." He holds out his hand. "Jon Snow."

 _Snow._ "Ned Stark's bastard?" Barristan asks, his voice raising a slight pitch in surprise. Jon nods subtly. "Wow. You've transgressed yourself quite quickly. I'm sure he would have been proud."

Jon doesn't respond to that, but instead, his eyes turn to her. Instantly she felt herself back down slightly. There was something going on inside of his head. She could see a clear struggle and she wondered what could be causing men who just lived on a wall all day so much stress. But she didn't get the chance to really analyze, as he pushes those feelings away a moment later. "Who is he?"

"He stole from the Red Keep." Jon raises his brow at Barristan, clearly not believing the lie. Daenerys could hardly believe he had said that either and she tried to keep her own snort in. But Barristan nods his head and gestures to her. "Look at him. He's the smallest man I've ever seen. He was easily able to sneak in and out and take some of their valuables. It took a guard afterward to catch him. Instead of sending him to death, they sent him here."

"Seems like a harsh punishment for just some valuables," Jon mutters. "Usually it's for _multiple_ offenses – not just the one time."

"Well…it was from the king. What else do you expect?" Barristan states. "Again, do you want me to take him back? Because I can. You'll just have a very annoyed queen regent on your han-"

"No," Jon interrupts, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "No, don't bring him back. We've just had… _a lot_ of new people and visitors lately. We've been trying to keep it in low recruitment for different reasons." He looks over at her, and she feels that same feeling of anxiety creep up her spine. One false move and she's found out in front of all these men. "What's your name?"

_'A name? Fuck, a name. What's her name? What's her **name?** '_

"Daryn," she states, trying to think quickly, but keeps her voice much lower than she ever would have. Was this the best she could do to portray herself as a bloody man? She was going to get found out _instantly._

Jon raises his brow. "Daryn?" She nods, as quickly as she could. "Hmm. Interesting name. Also, you don't…sound like you've grown much, Daryn. How old are you?"

"Three and ten," she responds. Maybe she looked old enough for a young boy? There seemed to be an even younger one here. That could work, right?

And it seemed that the answer seemed to work, as Jon shrugged and turned away to look at Barristan. "Impressive that a young boy can steal that easily, but we can take him. Come with me to my chambers and we'll discuss what happens next and I can send you on your way."

Barristan nods and pushes her forward, knowing they had to keep some sort of act going for the men here. She walks with her head down, avoiding eyes, while following Jon up the stairs towards his chambers.

* * *

When they arrived where he did most of his work, Daenerys felt herself stop still when she saw a beast probably the size of a wolf staring at her, with two red eyes that seemed to glow. Jon could see that she stilled and raises a hand gently onto her shoulder, causing her to glance up at him.

"Don't worry. He doesn't bite…much. Just don't mess around here and you won't have any issues," he jokes lightly, causing her to smile a bit but makes her head glance back down at the ground. She takes a seat across from the table as Barristan sits next to her. Once Jon takes his seat at the front of his desk, he turns to them with his hands crossed. "Well, Daryn, I suppose I should tell you about-"

"She's not Daryn."

Jon stills in his words and looks over at Barristan with a raised brow. " _She_?" he asks.

Barristan turns to Daenerys and nods at her, giving her the go. She brings her hands up and gently moves the scarf away from her head, letting her hair out from its confines and feeling it cascade down her back. Jon leans back in his chair as she does so, looking at her in shock. She could feel his eyes move up and down, almost analyzing her. Although it did make her feel a bit uncomfortable, she knew that was what would happen.

"No wonder you didn't look like a man," Jon mutters. "Because you _aren't_ one."

"Is that a bad thing?" she asks, irritation suddenly filling her voice.

"It _is_ a bad thing when a man brings them to the Wall – what is this? What is happening?" Jon asks, turning to look at Barristan. "I can't be bothered with another runaway – we have so much going on right now."

Barristan leans forward, his hands at the edge of Jon's desk. "I will have you know that she is _not_ some runaway. This is _Daenerys Targaryen._ The _rightful_ queen to the Iron Throne. You will speak to her in a _dignified_ way."

Jon lets out a long exhale before turning back to where Daenerys sat. "I…apologize if I came off as rude," he begins, but she could still see the clear aggravation in his eyes. "But whether she is a peasant or a queen, it doesn't change the fact that women aren't allowed here. Only under _very_ specific circumstances are they okayed to stay."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "What _specific_ circumstances are you referring to?"

Jon sighs and looks back at Barristan. "Is there a _reason_ you've brought the all-knowing dragon queen to the Wall where she is _hundreds_ of miles away from her people?"

She could hear the sarcasm in his voice and she fought the urge to roll her eyes, but instead lets Barristan speak. "I believe that's a question for you to ask her. I have just gotten her here safely. It is my duty to protect her."

Jon then turns to Daenerys, leaning back in his chair once more. "Alright, then. Daenerys, is it? Or shall I call you Daryn?"

"The only reason I picked that name was that I wanted to make sure the other men didn't suspect anything," she answers back, the bite in her voice inevitable. "And trust me, if we didn't have a good enough reason to come here, we would have stayed where it's warm."

She sees a sudden shift in his eyes and he glances down at his desk, before speaking again. "What's the reason?" His voice was softer this time, and she instantly felt a little more welcome to speak.

"If you've heard about anything from the East…I've taken hold of Slaver's Bay," she states. "I've liberated the slaves and taken down many of the masters. When I took Meereen, I decided to stay and rule to help the people, not just take their ships and run. But…as anything goes when power converts from one person to the next, there were some uprisings. A new group called The Sons of the Harpy were made of old slave masters who want me…dead, for lack of a better word. I tried to bring peace by attempting to open up the fighting pits there again, but that didn't seem to work…they broke into where we resided, and I was nearly killed if not for Ser Barristan."

"I heard you have dragons, though," Jon responds quietly. "Forgive me if this sounds rude, but couldn't you just…burn them? End the revolution?"

Daenerys feels herself sigh. "I do…however, one of them is missing, and the other two are locked up."

" _Missing?_ " Jon asks incredulously. "Well, that's just brilliant."

Her eyes narrow. "It's not my fault that Drogon went off – he just flew away. He's not some child that can be contained…he'll return, just on his own time." She wanted to believe that. She really did. "As for my other two…one of them burned a child, right in front of her father…I couldn't allow my dragons to roam around when they began to hurt my people, so I had to lock them up. The issue at hand is that…I need _some_ sort of advice on how to deal with this, with everything my dragons have done and my people…and I believe that one of my last _living_ relatives might be able to help me with that."

Jon seems to let understand what she was saying at that, and he leans back in his chair once more. "Aemon. You wish to speak to Aemon."

Daenerys nods gently. "Is he…still here?"

"Somehow…he's 104 and still has the mind of a young man," he comments, and she sees a small, incoherent smile come onto his lips. He looked nicer when he smiled. But that seemed to disappear a moment later. "Even so, how do you expect me to keep you under this…disguise? It's hard to keep one of the most known women in the world hidden."

"I can…keep pretending to be a boy," she states quietly. "Just for the time being."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "With _that_ hair? And your face? Even your body – I can clearly see now that you look like a woman, Daenerys. It would be hard."

She sighs. "Look, I can put dirt on my face, pull my hair back, wrap up my breasts, I don't know – all I _do_ know is that I'm not leaving here until I get to speak with him and spend time with him to properly _learn_ how to take care of my people. He's my last living family…a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. I want to be near him."

Jon looks at her quietly before sighing. "I…I just don't know, Daenerys. I really don't."

"What makes you think I'm incapable of doing this?" she asks angrily.

"I didn't say you were incapable," he states back, before gesturing outside. "You can play pretend all you want but if they find out who you are, you are going to be in so much trouble. And you don't know about these men, what they would do to you if they find out you're a woman."

Barristan decides to speak this time. "What if we do an exchange for you to keep the queen safe?"

Jon raises an eyebrow at him now. "An _exchange?_ What could you _possibly_ have for me that would make this situation any better? I came here with no possessions except my sword and my direwolf. That was it."

Ah, a direwolf. She should have known that considering the Stark's sigil had one on it.

"Your sister's life," Barristan responds calmly.

That seemed to trigger something. He straightens up and looks at Barristan, confusion in his gaze. "What do you mean _my sister?_ "

"I know that one of your sisters is currently trapped at Winterfell under House Bolton, correct?" Barristan asks, to which Jon solemnly nods. "And as far as I can tell, you haven't done anything to try and get her away."

"It's not like I haven't wanted to try," Jon snaps back. Daenerys raises her brow at him in surprise. She hadn't seen him get so angry yet. "I want our home back but there's nothing I can do from here. I have a job…I can't just abandon my post. Especially with the threats that we have to the North."

"The threats?" Daenerys asks, clearly intrigued. "You mean the wildings?"

He looks at her in surprise. "You know about the wildings?"

She straightens up slightly herself. "If I am going to be the future Queen here I have to know all my people – even the ones that refuse to bend far of the Wall. There's nothing I can do if that is the choice they want. As long as they don't fight against me."

Jon sighs quietly and shakes his head. "While it's impressive that you know that about the wildlings, it's not about that. It's something I can't really explain." He looks over at Barristan again. "How would you save her? You're only one man."

"It would take some time, for sure," Barristan responds. "I would have to scout out the area, make sure that there is a place where I can go to find my way in. Maybe even find some allies along the way. You are right, I am but one man, but I am known to be one of the fiercest knights in the world, and I can guarantee that even if I did not make it out alive, I would get your sister out."

Jon stares at him quietly, a deep perplexion in his eyes. "Why would you risk your life like that for someone you do not know? Isn't Daenerys more important?"

"If you want me to be honest, I've heard about the horror stories. About the Boltons." He nods to Daenerys quietly. "We never really spoke about it because the politics of Westeros seemed so far away from where we were before, but we rode past the way to Winterfell along the way here. _She_ was actually the one who wanted to go there directly."

Jon looks at Daenerys in surprise. "Really?" he asks, and she noticed that his voice had gone softer at his question.

She nods before answering. "I may not know how to swing a sword…at least not yet, but I can't stand the idea of another woman being trapped somewhere she doesn't want to be. That was me for nearly seventeen years of my life…I didn't want someone else to go through it. But Ser Barristan was right. If we had gone in due to my passion for it, we would have been struck down, most likely killed by the Bolton's men. It has to be done carefully."

Daenerys watches as he looks to the ground and then back at her, before turning his eyes back to Barristan. "How long do you think it would take exactly? Stannis' men went towards the Winterfell not too long ago."

"If we want to do this carefully, I'd say a moon at least," Barristan admits. Once he saw Jon's eyes widen slightly, Barristan raises a hand to stop him from his response. "I know. You want your sister to be safe. I understand that. But it's going to take some time for me to actually travel down there in the first place, find the right ways in, speak with people who could help…everything you could think of. But I am willing to do all of it. As long as _you_ can keep the queen safe, and protect her from the other men here. If she can visit Aemon as much as possible, that would be an added bonus."

Jon looks to her and then back at him once more. She could tell from the way his eyes glanced back and forth that his mind was ablaze, probably trying to figure out what the right answer would be to this. She didn't think he could turn her away, but at the same time, she didn't know Jon personally. Anything could happen.

However, after a moment of silence, he looks towards Daenerys, this time with his eyes focused solely on her. "If we do this…if you stay, you _have_ to follow everything I say. I know who you are trying to become and I understand that, but the Wall is different than any other place you've been to."

"I understand."

"And you have to maintain this…image that you set before you came in here. Wear your hair back – I don't know how I can swing a man with your long of hair but we'll see what we can do. Put dirt on your face or something. You need to remain hidden as long as possible. That means doing what new recruits would do as well – training, eating with them, everything you could think of."

"I know. I won't screw it up," she promises quietly.

Jon looks to her again and then back at Barristan. "Alright…we have a deal then."

* * *

It takes some time for them to work out the kinks of the plan. Jon and Barristan had gone to talk in private, while she had stayed in his chambers. She noticed how the direwolf seemed to stare at her with every move, but made no point to come to her. A part of her was saying to walk to it, but because she didn't know how these animals reacted, it was in her best interest to let it be.

After a while, the door finally opens. She thought she would see Jon, but instead, it was Barristan, who already had his furs back on and a pack ready to go. She stares in surprise.

"You're…leaving already?"

"I have to if we want to keep the story up. If a guard stays overnight with a supposed thief, it doesn't sit well." He walks over to her and rests his hands on her shoulders. "You're going to be alright. I'll only be gone for a little while and when I return, I'm sure you'll have all the answers you are looking for and more."

Daenerys bites her lip before she brushes his hands off of her shoulders. Instead, she reaches forward and hugs the man tightly, letting out shaky exhale.

"Be safe," she whispers before pulling back, looking up at him. "Your queen commands it," she adds on jokingly, trying to lighten the mood slightly. Barristan chuckles a bit at her words before nodding, pulling the furs over his head.

"I shall be, my queen," he says to her gently. "Jon Snow will take care of you. I have a good feeling about him."

Daenerys snorts a bit before glancing at the ground. "He doesn't seem to care much for me being here."

"Appearances deceive, my queen. I believe he's more worried about what the other men might do to you if they find out who you truly are. You don't know how many bastards and broken people there are here. He's one of the good ones." He hugs her once more before taking a step back, heading towards the door. "Stay warm."

"You as well," she responds softly, watching as he went out of the door, closing it behind him so no one peeked inside to see her. Daenerys lets out a shaky breath as she makes her way over to the window, quietly glancing outside while trying to hide her head from the others outdoors.

It doesn't take long to see him leaving on his horse, watching as he waved goodbye to the other brothers before he vanishes behind an icy wall of snow that had just started to pile down onto the ground. That was it. She was here, at the Wall, and he was leaving to find Jon Snow's sister. She didn't know what to expect now.

All she could do was wait.

The door quietly opens again, and this time she turns to see Jon walk in, wiping the snow from his hair. He closes the door behind him and turns to face her, and instantly she sees his face drop slightly before grabbing something from a bag. He walks over to where she stood.

"I'd suggest putting your hair in a braid," he says quietly. "Many men who have had longer hair here in the past have done so." He holds out furs. "These should be good enough to hide your…other parts." She raises an eyebrow at his flushness. For a Lord Commander, he was quite an innocent boy when it came to that. "Tomorrow, make sure to make yourself look as…manly as possible, I presume is the best word. I'll show you to your chambers."

Daenerys nods quietly as he heads towards the door, taking a quick glance outside to make sure no one was there before guiding her down the hallway. She moves as quickly as he does to make it to a spare room, where he allows her to walk in first, closing the door behind them. She looks around, noticing how…dim it was.

It surely was nothing compared to what she used to have in Meereen, but it was something she could deal with for now. She wondered what her followers were doing, if Missandei was okay. If Greyworm was okay. Even Daario, she wondered. It had all happened so quickly. And yet, here she was, on the opposite end of the world.

"This will be your chambers," he starts out quietly. "I'm not that far down the hall from here so if you need anything, come and ask me. But be discreet. If anyone knows about what is happening, I don't know what will happen afterward."

She takes a seat on the bed – quite flimsy and uncomfortable, but she had experienced far worse. "When can I see Aemon?" she asks him.

"He's sleeping right now – he hasn't been feeling the best as of late, which isn't a surprise. He is quite old." He looks over at her once more. "I'll see if we can make time tomorrow for you. Would that be alright?"

She nods quietly. "Yes, that would be fine."

"We usually wake up early – that's when training and watches tend to start. If you can, try and rise as early as you can and I'll make sure you're ready to go." Daenerys nods as he goes to leave, but she calls out to him, a few more questions on her mind.

"What is the direwolf's name?" He turns to her with a furrowed brow. "The direwolf that was in your chambers. What is his name?"

"Oh, you mean Ghost," he answers, glancing back at the door. "He's been with me since the start…my siblings and I found the pups in the woods with their mother dead…I got the runt but he's turned out to be one of the best companions someone could ask for."

She nods quietly. "Did your sister have one as well?"

Maybe she was getting into touchy subjects, but if she was going to be ruling over these people, she might as well get to know them.

It seemed the moment she asked that he glances away and lets out a long sigh. "My sister and I have a complicated relationship…my whole entire family does. It's best if we keep those histories to ourselves." He looks over at her and she sees that his demeanor had changed back to what she had first seen, distant and hidden, behind his eyes. "Sleep will, Daenerys."

With that, he opens and closes the door behind him, leaving her alone in the dark, cold room, the wind rushing outside the window. She feels her shoulders drop as she glances down at the furs beneath her, before looking at her hair in the mirror. Jon was right. If she didn't take this seriously, she didn't know what might happen.

It was time to become a brother of the Night's Watch – at least for the next moon.

"Goodbye, Daenerys," she mutters, pulling her hair behind her head. "Hello, Daryn."


	2. A Union of Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys has an interaction with everyone's least favorite former Lord Commander, finally meets Aemon after months of waiting, and Jon has a proposition for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, your reaction to this story was absolutely AMAZING! I am so overwhelmed with emotion and happiness that you guys want to see it continue! Just as a reminder things aren't going to be as canon as before and a lot of things will change but I guess that's just what fanfiction is - think of the canon storyline sort of as a guide for this, but there will be plenty of changes to those storylines. I'm not sure of how long this will be but if you keep wanting chapters like you did the next part of this, I'll keep writing for all of you amazing people.
> 
> Thank you all so much for your response. I hope you all enjoy this and I look forward to hearing what you have to say :)

_Daenerys_

She held the knife in her hand shakily.

Daenerys hadn't slept the night before. In fact, it was probably the worst amount of sleep she had gotten since arriving on the ship. But it wasn't due to fear, or nerves for being in a new place – it was out of necessity. For she had stayed up the whole night trying to figure out the best way to approach this situation.

Yes, she could take a wrap and disguise her breasts, wear as many furs as possible to somehow keep herself hidden, and maybe put some dirt or something on her face to disguise her feminine features, but the hair…the hair had been giving her nightmares.

There was no way _any_ man had hair that had grown as long as hers had. Honestly, she was surprised that when she stepped into the flames years ago, she had emerged with hair – so many things happened in her life that she just didn't understand. But because of it, now she had long hair that reached down to the middle of her back.

Jon had said she could wear it in a braid, but even then, it seemed to be too long, at least for a normal man. And at best, she was trying to portray herself as a younger boy, not some older person.

So, with a shaky mindset, she had settled on cutting her hair to properly blend in. Not too much, but enough where it was believable.

Although, something inside was stopping her – whether it was her pride or something else. All she could think about was why Dothraki let their hair grow, and that they only cut it off when they lost finally. That's why Drogo had never cut his. And for a time, she had done the same thing to honor him, letting it grow as she succeeded more and more in her conquest.

But now…now it seemed like it was time for a decent cut. And she knew it, too. She just didn't want to admit it.

"Stop being a cunt," she mutters to herself. "Just do it. It's hair, it grows back."

Daenerys looks at herself in the mirror and swallows once, twice, before her other hand comes up. She takes a long tendril of her silver hair, one that fell just past her breasts, and aimed the knife to where it was, only a slight inch past her shoulder. Then, with a quick swift cut, the tendril fell to the ground, and the hair became shorter.

There, the first piece was done. But even with that, she still felt herself still.

"Damn it," she curses herself, glancing at the ground.

Before she could attempt to continue, there was a quiet knock on the door. Instantly she starts to panic but then hears a familiar voice. "It's me."

She lets out a sigh of relief. "Come in."

The door opens and in walks Jon, who seemed to be freshly dressed for a new day. But when he looks around, Daenerys could see the confusion in his eyes. Her bed was still made from the night before, and she still had the same clothes on. And there, sitting in front of a shabby mirror was her, a knife in her hands.

"What are you doing? Did you not sleep last night?"

"I…had some trouble," she mutters.

Jon closes the door and walks over to where she was knelt, where a single tendril of her hair was on the floor. "Were you cutting your hair?" he asks curiously.

Daenerys sighs and glances away. She felt truly embarrassed to be talking about this to the Lord Commander, of all people, but he was the one who was supposed to keep her hidden. She might as well. "I was up all night trying to figure out the best ways to blend in, and the one thing that kept coming back to haunt me was my hair…I know most men don't have my long hair and it would be strange for a 'boy' my age to have that, so I was going to cut it to blend in better…but I just can't. I did one strand and now I'm having a bloody crisis."

She lowers the knife down to the floor and brings her knees to her body, hugging them close to her chest.

"When I was younger and my brother dreamed of glory, he sold me to the Dothraki, namely Khal Drogo, so he could have an army to retake the Iron Throne. Safe to say that my brother is no longer here…but I grew a connection with the Dothraki people. Their custom is that they never cut off their hair unless they've lost a battle, and I guess for a while I kept my hair long the way it is because I've never lost but being here…I feel like I've lost control of what I was trying to be. I don't know where one of my dragons is, and the slavers I took over are rebelling and killing my people…and here I am across the world trying to somehow find some sort of advice from an old man because I can't handle it myself."

She could feel a lump building in her throat but she swallows it. There was no way she would allow herself to cry in front of him.

"I'm sorry," she mutters, turning away. "You said we should keep our histories to ourselves. I apologize for rambling."

Jon quietly shakes his head. "No, it's fine…I understand, to an extent." Her brow furrows as she turns to look at him. "For years I grew up as a bastard to my father, but I tried to remain as loyal and noble to a cause as I could to make him proud…even if he's gone now, I still try to be so I can follow in his footsteps, but recently there are…threats across the Wall that have the wildlings in danger and I want to help them get somewhere safe, but of course, that isn't noble for a Night's Watchman to do, let alone the Lord Commander…sometimes you have to take risks and go against your own nature."

He looks back over at her and then stands, before walking over to the tiny closet that was in the room. He glances inside and then pulls out what seemed to be two hair bands that someone would tie around their head.

"These were probably left from a former brother," he states, walking back to her. "You don't need to cut your hair…I wouldn't force that on you." He kneels behind her and he sort of looks at her a bit awkwardly. "I know this is going to sound strange but trust me. Can I touch your hair?"

Daenerys raises an eyebrow a bit but silently shrugs. She hadn't had anyone touch her hair probably since Missandei. "Alright, sure."

She feels his fingers lightly tug at the bottom of her strands, and she watches what he does in the foggy reflection of the mirror. "I have a little sister…her name is Arya. Little bugger, she was, but she loved to train with us. Father wasn't the biggest supporter for a long time, but I always tried to help her. Although her hair was never as long as hers, she had this specific style she used to do to tie it back so that it never got in her face."

She watches as he gently pulls some of the hair up behind the rest, before tying it gently so that it wasn't too tight, but hidden. Just like that, the lower part of her hair seemed to disappear. He hands her the other hairband and nods back at her.

"From there you can pull back your hair, do a braid, however you want. But at least now it looks shorter."

Daenerys glances at herself in the mirror. It _did_ look shorter.

"Thank you," she responds, looking back up at him.

He nods, glancing back towards the door. "You don't need to thank me. I don't know what Barristan might do to me if he comes back and all of your hair was chopped off." She could hear the light tone in his voice and she could tell he was joking a bit. "Get the rest of you ready. Meet us outside in a little bit…don't be nervous or anything."

Daenerys nods quietly as he goes to leave, closing the door behind her. Once he does, she takes a glance back at herself in the mirror, before pulling at the tendrils of hair that were now secure and tying them into a braid. It looked strange, that was for sure, considering she almost _always_ kept her hair down, but it was necessary.

She bites her lip and stands up, a little wobbly from barely any rest the night before, but determined to get this day over with. The sooner she went out, the quicker it would be over.

So, she grabs the furs, a wrap, and anything else she could get, before putting everything possible to keep her somehow warm.

* * *

_Jon_

_'Why did it have to be me?'_

That was the question he was constantly asking himself now, as to why the supposed 'Queen of Meereen' showed up on their doorstep. Of course, Maester Aemon had to be stationed here. He honestly didn't even know what to believe about the rumors of her over in Slaver's Bay. He had been so focused on other important issues that the musings of a woman thousands of miles away had never sat well with him.

But here they were.

He sighs as he watches some of the newer recruits train. Olly was still getting the hang of it and so were the others, but a part of him wondered how Daenerys, of all people, would feel with all of this. He didn't know, quite honestly. She herself had said she never held a sword before. Would she be worse than Sam then when he first started?

Good gods, he hoped not.

"You just can't help letting people in, huh?"

Jon feels his eyes close in silent frustration before he pushes down that anger and turns his head to see Allister Thorne coming towards him, an aggravated sneer on his lips. "If this is about the new recruit, the knight was right – we don't turn people away. If we did, we wouldn't be a place for outcasts to go to."

Thorne hmms and shakes his head, turning away. "But that's what you wanted to do? Bring in another young recruit to go out and die?"

"He had nowhere else to go," Jon argues, turning to face him. "And if I remember correctly, _I_ am the Lord Commander, not you. _I_ have the last say who gets to stay here, and Daryn _will._ I don't need your opinion, or anyone else's on the matter."

Throne shakes his head, and Jon doesn't miss the glare that the older man sends him before descending down the steps to where the trainees were, knocking down one that seemed to get in his way. Jon fights back the urge to roll his eyes and shakes his head, glancing at the ground. Thorne was going to be the death of him, honestly. He needed to learn to just let go of his comments.

"What's his problem?"

The voice startles him out of his thoughts as he turns to the right to see Daenerys – except she looked nothing like what she did before. Like he had suggested, her hair was in a braid, pulling back behind her ears, but a few messy strands hung in front of her face. It seemed she had found what looked like ash and put it on her cheeks and hands. The furs, which were thick and bulky, covered her body enough where no one could tell the difference.

"Where did you find the ash?" he whispers to her.

"In the fireplace in someone's chambers. It was the best bet I had."

He raises his brow. "You mean _my_ chambers?" It was the only one that had a fireplace, and at her reddening cheeks, he realizes that he was right. He rolls his eyes and dismissed it with a nudge of his hand. "It doesn't matter. You look fine…just talk deeper. Try not to talk at all if you can."

She nods as he guides her towards the stairs. He sees her glance over at where Thorne was, who had his eyes narrowed at her. "Who is he?"

Jon sighs, trying to speak as low as possible. "Alliser Thorne. That next to him is Janos Slynt…both of them aren't huge supporters of me right now," he admits.

"Why?"

He looks down at her, seeing the curiosity in her eyes. "Why do you want to know? They aren't your problem."

"Well, considering _you're_ the person who has to keep me safe, and they have an issue with you, that might translate to me," she points out, glancing in their direction.

Well, she wasn't wrong. It was something he had been worried about regarding her staying here. And he didn't understand why, but he felt comfortable around Daenerys. He had only just met the girl but she wasn't like most of the men here – and for good reason, obviously. But it wasn't that she was just a girl – she had a head on her shoulders, more than most probably gave her credit for.

He sighs quietly and then shakes his head. "They aren't too fond of what I've been doing recently, that's all…Thorne used to be the Lord Commander." At her look of intrigue, clearly trying to see how _he_ had become the leader, he explains. "One of my friends nominated me for the position. Defended me like crazy. The vote ended up being split between myself and I. One vote changed it – Maester Aemon."

He sees a slight smile appear on her lips. "Well…to be honest, I'm glad that you're the one I'm reporting to and not him," she mutters.

Silently, Jon was as well.

He stops her before she could head over to the trainees, shaking his head. "They've been training for a bit…I don't think it's best if you just head in there."

Before she could question what he said, a voice rang out loud and clear. "Aw, come on! Let the boy play."

Jon turns his head to see Thorne walking over, a smirk on his lips. He could see Daenerys take a slight step behind Jon, but she doesn't change the expression on her face, trying to stay as emotionless as possible.

"Thorne, he's new. He's barely ever held a sword," Jon comments, attempting to keep his anger at check. He was going to bloody murder this man.

"And? All of the people you were recruited against had barely ever held a sword either and you took them down – gave them a lesson. He should have the same," Thorne comments before his eyes turn to Daenerys. "How does that sound, uh – Daryn? Right? That's your name?"

Before she could speak, Jon pushes her behind him gently. "I'm not going to let you put masters up against a trainee again – it was unfair when I did it and unfair to him now. I'm not like you," he snaps back.

"It's alright."

This voice startles him and Jon turns to see Daenerys step in front of him again. She had lowered her voice before speaking this time, as he had said. He stops himself before staying her actual name. "Daryn, they-"

"I get it. I have to prove myself. If I get hurt, that's fine. It's what I signed up for when I got sent here."

Thorne smirks before nodding. "There we go." He walks over and grabs a sword, handing it to Daenerys. She goes to grab it and instantly fumbles a bit, dropping it to the ground before picking it up, surprised at how heavy it was compared to the others. Jon hears Thorne and his men laugh as he feels himself curse.

"You don't need to do this," he mutters to her, trying to nod towards the stairs to get her to go inside, but she shakes her head.

"No. I do." She pulls the sword back up, holding it correctly in her hands. Her grip was a bit too tight, something that Jon had a feeling was because she wasn't used to holding such a heavy weapon, but it was in her hands nonetheless. "Even if I get beaten, it's better so he doesn't have a say in whether I'm a coward or not."

She steps away as Thorne shakes his head, grabbing one of the recruits from the other side. "How about this one? Or him? Think you can take on any of them, little boy?"

Jon watches uncomfortably as Daenerys looks between the two of them before her eyes land on Thorne. "How about you?"

Thorne's brow raises before a sneer comes over his lips once more. "Me? You have no idea who you are talking to, do you? I was Master-at-Arms here. The _Lord Commander._ And you, an untrained boy, want to challenge _me?_ "

"Well, considering you're neither one of those things anymore, you didn't seem to be very good at either of them."

Jon brings a hand to his mouth, trying to stifle the laugh that was _begging_ to come out, watching as Thorne's face turned red with rage. Who knew the dragon queen had a sense of humor? But at the same time, he was worried _shitless_ because Daenerys was asking for a _death wish_ with that comment.

"And you're also the one who's challenging a boy who has never held a sword just so you can watch someone new get beaten down because someone you didn't like took them in – why not just get it over with yourself and not be a coward?"

For a moment, Jon thought Thorne might walk away, but instead, he angrily pulls his sword from its holster, storming towards Daenerys. "Thorne!" he instantly yells, at the former Lord Commander pauses, only for a moment to glare at Jon. "Don't you dare take another step forward; I _forbid it!_ "

Thorne stays connected with him for a single second, and within moments, he suddenly swings his sword at Daenerys. Jon curses and runs forward, but Janos and another man holds him back, saying, "Let them fight!" He tries to break through and turns his head to look at Daenerys, terrified to see if something had happened, but was surprised when Daenerys _easily_ dodged Thorne's hit.

He stared in shock for a moment as she kept dodging passively, each attack missing as Thorne came closer and closer, his hits growing more aggressive with each miss. At one point, he slammed his body against her and she fell to the ground, the sword getting tossed from her hands, but she doesn't let that stop her as she quickly rolls out of the way of his strike and crawls quickly, grabbing the sword once more.

She swings – a little blindly all the same – from behind Thorne, and gets his ankle, hitting it not hard enough to bleed but enough that it would bruise. He curses and turns to face her again. This time, she blocks the hit, the sword's hilt causing her fingers to turn white with her grip before she brings up a leg from where she was on the ground, and kicks Thorne so hard in the groin, everyone in the courtyard cringed – even Jon, to an extent.

Daenerys then takes the opportunity to slam her end of the sword with her hilt into Thorne's side while he was distracted by the pain and tripped him slightly so that he was on one knee. She scrambles and aims the sword at his neck, breathing heavily, while Thorne was glaring angrily at her, one hand on his sword and the other cupping his lower region.

Jon stared in shock. For someone who said she had _never_ held a sword before, she seemed _quite_ capable there.

"Yield," she breathes heavily.

Thorne glares up at her and stands slowly. Jon expects him to yield, but instead, he quickly swings the sword and slashes her while she was least expecting it – _hard._ So much so she yelped in pain and fell to the ground, holding her bleeding side. Thorne goes to swing again but Jon instantly runs forward, knocking Thorne to the ground and aiming Longclaw at his throat.

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!" he snarls.

" _Me?_ This little _boy_ is a _liar!_ Said he's never held a _swor-"_

"You were clearly on the ground – you even had a knee down! He beat you perfectly fine," Jon snaps. "You _slashed his stomach._ That doesn't just _happen_ with duels!" Before Thorne could say anything else to him, Jon shakes his head and turns to where Daenerys was, holding the gash that had gone through her furs. "Come on," he mutters, trying to help her stand. He looks back over at Thorne. "Don't you fucking dare come near him again."

"Oh what, now you have _feelings_ for the boy?"

"No, I have fucking common decency!" And with that, he takes her inside, fuming at two things – Thorne _and_ her.

* * *

_Daenerys_

Jon brought her in as quickly as he could to her chambers, before slamming the door shut behind him. He walks over to her and quickly peels off the layer of fur that had been covering her, seeing the dark liquid that had oozed out. She felt herself bite her lip quietly as he examined it, the slight touch sending sharp slivers of pain up her spine.

"Seven hells," he mutters before stepping away. "I have to get Sam, and he'll – gods, damn it, Daenerys. Hold this to your stomach."

He hands her a clothe that had been on a table and she does so, seeing him peek outside before whispering to someone. Within seconds, he was back in, the door closed behind him. This time, she doesn't see concern – she sees anger. Which was what she was expecting, honestly.

"Why the hell did you challenge him?!" Jon hisses. "You told me you've never held a fucking sword and all of a sudden you're taking on Thorne?! And _beating_ him?! My job is to _protect_ you and you've just put _both_ of us in an even shittier situation than before!"

Daenerys doesn't answer. Truly, a part of her didn't know why she had done what she did. Maybe it was because she hated people like Thorne, who always thought just because they had _age_ over someone it made them better – truth be told, it never seemed to be that way for her. Maybe it was because she wanted to stand up for Jon because she had received nothing but kindness from him so far. So much for that.

When she doesn't respond, she sees him run his hands through his hair, glancing at the door. "For fuck's sake, he's taking too long," Jon grunts before walking over to a bucket of water that was in the chambers. It was usually for cleaning faces at the end of the day due to dirt and grime, but it was still fresh for her.

He walks over to where she sat and takes the now-bloodied clothe from her hands.

"Take off the furs, please," he states quietly.

She does as he says, knowing that they had to be removed for the wound to be addressed. Once they're off, she'd left in nothing but a tunic and trousers, two of which Jon had given her to stay warm, with a big gash in the tunic. He lifts up the shirt and looks to the gash, before taking the clothe and dipping it in water. When it was properly soaked, he presses it gently to her wound. She tries not to cringe in pain.

After a moment of silence between the two, she watches as his dark eyes try to connect with her own. They were calmer, much different than the storm she had seen only minutes prior. "Tell me why you did that," he asks, his time softer.

Daenerys swallows lightly before glancing away. Men nor women, powerful or powerless, rarely made her turn her head, but his gaze at her was the first one that had _her_ feeling insecure. "I…I don't know."

"No, you do. Tell me. Because if you didn't that was a truly _stupid_ thing for a future queen to do."

That cut deep.

"I…I hate men like him," she starts out quietly, looking back at Jon. "One's who hold grudges against you for no reason or do things because they think just because they're older or have more experience they're better…I never said I was an expert but I wanted to…I don't know, put him in his place…you've been nothing but kind to me – albeit a little rude at first but that's understandable – and to see someone treat a _leader_ so poorly…it made me think irrationally. I'm sorry. I usually never make poor decisions like that, but I didn't want to see him hurl more insults at you or any of the others there. He just…seems like that sort of man."

Jon sighs at her last words, the clothe still pressed against her wound. "Daenerys, you need to understand that men – especially at the Wall - are like that."

"They _shouldn't_ be," she whispers fiercely, turning to him so sharply that the gash in her stomach cries out at her for the movement. "You're not like that."

"I was raised in a castle – others weren't so lucky."

"Even so," she mutters, glancing away again. "If he was a leader before you he should have manners or…I don't know, not be the way he is." She sighs and looks back at him. "I know I probably just made it worse for us. I apologize."

Jon shakes his head and lowers the clothe, only to collect more water and press it back against the wound to clean it. "Thorne was going to pick on you no matter what, just as he does with me – only because I let you in…he's just going to be even worse now that you beat him." Jon looks back up at her with a slight raise of his brow, but she could see in his eyes that there was a slight bit of shock in them. "You told me you didn't know how to fight."

Daenerys chuckles a bit and glances back at the ground where her furs lay. "I don't. Truly. I wasn't joking when I said I had never held a sword. That's why I dropped it when Thorne handed it to me. The only reason I was able to win that is that Barristan taught me a few ways to defend myself if he was ever in any danger…I needed to after what happened to me."

She raises a hand to where her hair covered up the large scar that now sat near the edge of her forehead. Jon's eyes turn to her direction and he examines it with surprise. "Is that from when you were attacked at the pyramid?"

"Yes," she replies, letting her hair fall back down to cover it again. "I'm sure that if Barristan wasn't there, they would have finished the job…I hated feeling powerless. I asked him to train me but he didn't think I was ready yet for a sword…so he taught me how to use my size against men who were bigger than I. I just dash and dodge, as he instructed. Worked well in my case here. And if all else fails – kick them where it hurts."

That gets a slight snort out of Jon, one that made herself smile – he looked better when he was happy. "Well, that is a sure way of defending yourself. That's for sure." He looks back up at her and then nods towards the door. "From what I saw out there, though…I think you're ready for a sword."

Her eyes widen slightly. "Really?'

"I mean, you took down the former Master-at-Hands. I think with some training you'll be very good…just maybe not with the new recruits. I don't think I want Thorne to be near you as much."

She raises an eyebrow quietly as he moves the clothe away from her stomach. "I can look out for Thorne."

"Clearly from today's show, I know you can, but it's better to be safe than sorry – better so that I can keep an eye on you." He looks over at her, a slight smirk on his lips that made it hard to hold her smile. "You have an attitude, your grace. It's going to get you killed here."

Her jaw drops open slightly, looking at him in shock. "What? What did I do?"

"'You didn't seem to be very good at either of them?'" he mocks, bringing her back to her comment to Thorne, causing her to blush light red. "I admit, that was a great line, but you're saying this to one of the cruelest men here – I'm surprised he didn't strangle you. You have to learn to keep the comments to yourself. It only makes them more prone to hurt you."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "It's not like you probably haven't said it to them as well."

"Maybe in the past but it's the principal," Jon states, shaking his head. Before she could reply, the door finally opens and in rushes a man that was sweating, breathing heavily. Daenerys raises an eyebrow as she looks him up and down while he closes the door.

He had messy dark brown hair and a round body, plump cheeks that seemed to smile a lot. He didn't seem to fit the standard of men around here. "I'm so sorry," the man breathes out, gasping for air. "I ran all the way here – I forgot my supplies."

Jon rolls his eyes before guiding the man towards where Daenerys sat. "It's fine – but Sam, I need you to keep a secret for me. It's an important secret, one the other brothers can not find out about under _any_ circumstances."

Sam nods. "Of course, Jon."

Jon turns to Daenerys. "This isn't actually a new recruit."

Sam's brow furrows. "Then…who is he?"

"She," Jon corrects quietly.

Now, Sam's brow raises as Daenerys begrudgingly stands, cringing a bit at her pain, before holding out her bloodied hand. "Daenerys Targaryen…pleasure to meet you."

"Good _gods,"_ Sam whispers, over and over before lowering her to sit once more. "Another Targaryen _here?_ H-how did this happen?"

"It's a long story," Jon responds. "Just make sure she's healed up."

Sam looks at Daenerys in surprise. "I'm shocked to see you hurt this early. When did you arrive?"

"I might have pulled some strings on Thorne."

"Oh, but he's easy to pull strings on," Sam chuckles a bit, and Daenerys feels herself smile. She liked this man. She had a feeling he wasn't like most of the others here. "Well, it shouldn't be too hard. I've picked up a few things from our Maester here so you should be up and ready to go as soon as possible."

Jon grunts from where he stood, shaking his head. "Don't think I want her to get up or else she'll be causing more trouble. Who thought a future queen could make someone so angry."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "I'm usually quite kind to people and give them chances but I've met those types of men. And they always need to be put in their place…regardless of injury you might acquire," she mutters, gesturing to her midsection. "It's fine. I'm fine."

"So…I'm assuming that the big secret here is that she is a woman?" Sam asks Jon once he tucks in her bandage, turning to face him.

"Well, more than that. Not just that she's a woman but that she's the daughter of the Mad King. People aren't going to be too fond of a former Targaryen here."

"But Maester Aemon is here."

"Maester Aemon is different. He's always shown to be kind and cares for the people here. I don't know what they would think of Daenerys. And considering she's already gotten on one man's bad side…." He trails off.

Daenerys bites her lip as Sam steps away. "I would hope people don't hold me to my father's actions…I'm not like him. Not at all. I wouldn't just randomly burn down a whole city or anything like that. I know who I am." She sighs as she stands, cringing a bit at the pain in her middle but doesn't let it deter here. "I know I'm not a man. I'm not _supposed_ to be here. But if I am going to encounter men who regularly put people down, then I'm going to fight for the justice the victims deserve."

Jon was quiet, glancing at the ground. Sam lets his hand rest on her shoulder. "Well, I think with that state of mind, you're going to make a great queen."

Daenerys smiles at Sam before looking back at Jon. "Why are you so quiet?"

"It's a great state of mind, but you'll find people are much more complicated than they appear. It's hard to figure out who your friends are and who your enemies are. Especially when you come into power. I only worry about what they might do if you do gain the throne."

" _When._ "

"When," he corrects himself, but she could see him fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "Sorry. We don't usually associate ourselves with the fight down south for our own reasons."

"It's alright. It's a lot and so far away it seems insignificant. I don't blame you." She turns to look at Sam. "You said that you picked up things from Maester Aemon? Does…does he talk about me?"

"Ah, yes, all the time," Sam responds. "I was actually reading to him earlier about what you were going through in Meereen. Didn't expect to see you here now."

"I came because I'm seeking his advice on, well…everything, really. I want to meet him…can I?" She looks over at Jon. "Please?"

The Lord Commander sighs and shakes his head. "Daenerys, you need to rest. It's not even the middle of the morning and you've already injured yourself. What makes you think it's a good time to see Aemon?"

"It's the whole reason I'm here!" she responds, her voice growing slightly. "You said yesterday that I would be able to meet him, did you not?"

"I said we could find some ti-"

"So now you're going to go back on your word?"

"I didn't think you'd get yourself _sliced!_ "

"Well, I'm standing now, aren't I? And I wish to see my uncle...please, Jon. That's all I want."

She watches him quietly as he looks to Sam, somehow trying to find support, but Sam was silent. Jon runs his hand through his hair and glances at the door before looking back at her, his stance softening. "Fine, as long as Sam says it's okay. Is it? Is he awake and talking?"

"He is indeed. He's actually been very well today. Maybe he can sense that you're here."

Her eyes brighten at the sound of that, and she turns to Jon with a smile on her lips. "So? Can I?"

Jon looks to her and then lets out a long sigh. "Yes, we can bring you to him."

* * *

When they arrived in Aemon's chambers, she could see that it was dark except for a few candles that were lit in the corner, and a fireplace to somehow keep him warm. Other than that, the windows were closed. And there, resting in his bed, was Aemon, his eyes closed. She could feel her heart begin to race.

For a long time in her life, she had never been nervous to meet people. She was confident in herself – at least most of the time – but right now, this was the first moment ever where she found herself struggling for words. Gods, what would she say? Or ask him about? Where did she even begin?

She feels a hand rest on her shoulder once more, and she looks up to see it was Jon, nodding towards Aemon's room. "Sam will bring you in. I'll come and get you later, okay?"

Daenerys nods and watches as Jon leaves to let them be alone. Sam guides her inside, bringing her to the other side of the bed. Instantly, Aemon's head perks up a bit. She notices that his eyes were glazed over. He had gone blind.

"That doesn't feel like the normal dip in the bed," Aemon remarks. "Sam, have you snuck another lady friend with you? Isn't Gilly enough?"

Daenerys raises an eyebrow, looking over at Sam, who's cheeks turn a dark red. There _must_ be another woman here. She would make it a goal to find out who this Gilly was. "No, nothing like that, Maester Aemon," Sam responds. "But, I did bring someone you'd like to meet."

"Ah. And who might that be?"

Sam nods to Daenerys, encouraging her to speak. She reaches over and gently takes Aemon's hand, hoping that it wasn't too much. "Aemon…my name is Daenerys Targaryen…I'm your great-niece."

She sees his brow furrow in confusion at first, before turning his head towards her voice. "Is…is this true? Sam told me you were in Meereen, under siege…"

"We were…well, I was, but Ser Barristan helped me get out safely. We came here to meet you…I had no idea you were here." She feels tears threaten to fall from her eyes. "I need help, uncle…so much help…"

Her hands had probably begun to shake. She feels Aemon's light grip tighten slightly. "Oh, my dear…I can feel the pain in your voice. It's a shame to meet under drastic circumstances. Come here." He pulls her close, as much as he could with his frail arms, holding her. But to Daenerys, it felt like the warmest hug she had ever received.

Two Targaryen's united once more.

"I have so much to ask you," she whispers when she pulls away, wiping at the tears that had escaped her eyes. "I want to know everything about you. From the very beginning."

Aemon chuckles a bit. "I've lived a long life. We'll be here for a long time."

"That's alright. We have all the time in the world," she says, holding his hand even tighter now.

* * *

_Jon_

It had been all day that she was gone.

Jon hadn't seen Daenerys step one foot out of Aemon's chambers. He had taken it upon himself to reprimand Thorne – as much as he could with the stubborn man – and after that, he tried regularly to somehow get the other recruiters to stop asking questions about her, or _Daryn,_ as they called her.

Eventually, however, he had decided on something for her, something that would suit what she could do without risking her life being near Thorne, or any of those men. And when the sun had set, he decided to retrieve her from Aemon's chambers, knowing that all good things had to come to an end.

Truth be told, he hadn't wanted to bring her to Aemon's chambers today after the stunt she pulled, impressive or not. He had wanted her to lay in bed and bloody heal, but the woman was stubborn, something he didn't know whether to loathe or admire yet. He would see as time went on.

But then she had looked at him with those big eyes and Jon was but a simple man – he caved. Hard. There was no way he could say no to her, even with Sam in the room. He was happy, however, that he was willing to keep his secret. Sam was always loyal to him and most likely would be in the wars to come. It was essential Daenerys remained a secret, despite her injuries.

He came to his chambers, later on, knocking gently but hearing no response. After that, he glances in and feels himself smile lightly at what he saw. There sat Daenerys, looking over a book that he was quite sure Aemon had pointed out to her in his cases, a bright smile on her lips, while Aemon spoke. It seemed they were talking about Targaryen history.

"I can't believe she did all of this," Daenerys whispers before looking back up at Aemon. "I hope that I'm just as good as she was."

"My dear, you'll be _better._ "

"Daenerys."

Her head snaps up at Jon's voice, as does Aemon's slightly. She lowers the book down. "Oh. Do I have to go?"

"You don't have to, but it is getting late and you should eat. Aemon also needs to rest. Can't keep him up all night."

Daenerys sighs but nods, closing the book and letting it rest on the bed. "Alright. I'm coming." She squeezes Aemon's hand once more. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Aemon chuckles a bit. "I am sure you will." Daenerys lets go a moment later and walks out of the room. Before Jon could close the door, he hears Aemon chuckle to himself now, before he remarks, "She is a hell of a girl…has a story, that one."

"I haven't heard it truly yet," Jon admits.

"You should. You'll understand her a lot more."

Jon nods quietly, thinking of his words. "Rest well, Aemon." He closes the door after that, turning to where Daenerys had walked, down to her chambers. He quickly paces behind her and gently grabs her arm, nodding in the direction of his own chambers. "Come with me. I want to speak to you about something."

The young woman nods and follows after him, making sure her hair was covered as they walked towards where his chambers were. He lets her in first and she looks around quietly, noticing the meal he had set up.

"Ah. Now, this looks delicious," she mumbles, taking a seat across from his desk. Jon snickers a bit.

"We don't have the best food here but it's enough to keep us going. Here, try it." He pushes over the bowl to soup and she gently takes a sip, before her face twists up a bit.

"Why is it _sour_?" she hisses a bit.

"Don't know, honestly."

Daenerys shakes her head and sighs. "Better than nothing, I suppose." She glances back up at him. "I assume that it's important if you're sharing a meal with me."

"Yes, it is." Jon leans back in his seat, watching her quietly. "I know you're not going to be staying with us long, but I see potential in you, Daenerys. Actual real potential regarding fighting and training."

Daenerys' brow raises. "You do? Really?"

"I do. I'd like to start private training sessions in the mornings. If Barristan wouldn't teach you, I might as well help you so that you can defend yourself here."

Daenerys takes another sip of her soup, her face trying hard to remain neutral. He could see her fighting the urge to gag. Honestly, he was too. Not the best soup they had ever made. "I don't know how good that will look if you're keeping the new recruit away for personal lessons."

"We wouldn't be training down in the courtyard. I know somewhere not that far from here. A lot of open space. It'll be good too because that way we can train you to fight with layers on, just in case some sort of invasion happens here while you're residing. I know it's my job to protect you, but it wouldn't hurt for you to learn a bit yourself. Can you agree?"

"I can," she answers smoothly.

"However. I'm not comfortable with you joining the regular watch yet. Before you get all high and mighty with me, yes, I know you're capable of handling yourself, but I do fear of you getting hurt," he responds honestly. "I don't want you to be near Thorne or any of those men until you really know how to properly handle a sword – with dodging and dashing. You scared me, today."

He sees her gaze soften slightly. "I did?"

"Well, I know that if I let you get diced up, Barristan would have my arse and kill me within seconds." Daenerys chuckles a bit at that. "But more so than that, I care about Aemon. Both Sam and I do. He's been a good friend to us since we've gotten here. And I don't want to let his own living relative die just like that."

"Fair," she responds, smiling softly. "Then what do you propose?"

"I have a younger boy – you might have seen him before. His name is Olly."

"I was wondering how he got here," she says.

"He fled from a village that was attacked by wildlings," he states quietly. "Both of his parents killed in front of him."

"Seven hells, that's horrible."

"It was…my relation with the wildings has always been…complicated. But either way, that's beside the point. He's my personal steward – basically, if I need something, he's the first person to get it for me. However, I've come to realize that there's a better person for that job. You."

Daenerys lets out a bark of a laugh, crossing her arms against her chest. "So I'm basically going to be the Lord Commander's version of a handmaiden?"

"I didn't say _that_. That would be your role here, only to keep you away from the other men down there while you trained. Olly would still act as my main, but for you, the others would know you as my second. You'd have to do occasional things to keep up the act, like bring food or ravens or things like that, but other than that…you can spend the days with Aemon."

Her eyes widen at his words. "You'd do that just so I could talk with Aemon more?"

"He _is_ the reason you came, is he not? I think it would be good for you to speak to him…I saw how happy you were earlier. I want to make sure you stay that way while you're here."

There was a shift in her eyes, and a grateful smile now slides across her lips. "Thank you, Jon…that really means a lot."

He nods quietly and glances outside. "You don't need to thank me. Whenever we do go out, however, whether that be beyond the Wall or out into the forest, I will want you there with me. Just so I can keep an eye on you."

"Of course."

"Does that sound good?"

Daenerys nods quickly, clearly agreeing. "I'll happily accept…on one condition."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

She nods towards the bowl that was on the table. "We _never_ have to eat this specific soup again."

Jon snorts, laughing himself. He hated to admit it, but even after one day, he was growing fond of the dragon queen, enough so that it was the first person since probably meeting Sam that he felt had good intentions. "Deal."

He sees her smile at that before she reaches for the spoon again. "Then I agree to be your 'steward,' Lord Commander." With that, she places a bit more soup into her mouth, and he watches quietly as her face turns again. For a moment, he admires it, how her lips spin downwards with the sourness, her nose scrunches up, her tongue sticks out after she swallows. She looked pretty, experiencing all this new food and lifestyle. Much prettier than any other recruit in history, most likely.

But he catches himself a moment later, inwardly shaking his own thoughts away from him. ' _Don't look at her like that. She's a queen. She'll be gone in a moon and you'll probably never see her again.'_

And then, her words shake him back to the present, where she shakes her head and pushes the soup away. "I'm sorry, I tried. That's vile. I'd rather starve."

Jon chuckles and then stands, reaching out to her with his gloved hand. "One of the perks of being Lord Commander is getting the pick of certain foods downstairs in the kitchen occasionally. You want to find something a little better?"

"Good gods, please."

And she gladly takes his hand to help her stand, heading towards the door to step away from the no-good soup that grew cold on his desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved Season Five Sam. I missed him. We need more of his nervous ass in our lives lol
> 
> Before anyone comments really quickly I'll say this - no, Daenerys is not skilled in sword training lol just in defending herself, as I'm sure MOST women nowadays have learned to do considering a lot of men are pigs. She is however going to learn a lot from Jon and it'll be great to see our two beans come together because writing Jon training with Dany is my favorite thing in the world haha ugh I can't wait to write more interactions with these two. Gotta love Jonerys, man haha 
> 
> If you can, please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments always inspire me to keep writing and putting out these chapters for all of you. I'm still so shocked and overwhelmed with your response last chapter and your support truly means the absolute world to me, so please let me know if I should change anything or add anything to the story - you all are so awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join us on our little adventure, and I'll see you all later! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day <3
> 
> Next up: Daenerys has her first training session with Jon, speaks more with Aemon, and meets Gilly. We also catch up on what our good friend Barristan is going south of the Wall.


	3. A Swordswoman in the Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys and Jon have their first training session. Dany asks her uncle for some advice, and Ser Barristan runs into a lady knight and her squire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your response to the last chapter - it's what inspired me to keep writing and pushing this out for you, so thank you all so much. You've been absolutely amazing! I hope you enjoy this one. :)

_Jon_

He was awake early, trying to keep his mind in check. And all the while, he was waiting for _her._

The night before had been simple enough. They had gone down to the kitchens and picked up some food to eat from the kitchen, one that didn't taste like lemons had gone bad before he brought her back to her chambers to finally rest after the day she had. And for a long time after that, he was looking up the best way to start training Daenerys.

And truly, he didn't quite know where to start, even now, hours later. He was thinking about the skills she had. It was clear she was on the smaller side – probably a little bit taller than Arya if he could see properly. She was right in using her size against bigger opponents. But at the same time, he wanted to make sure she wasn't passive and dodging the whole time. She needed to learn to attack. And he supposed that was where he came in.

He went to her chambers to knock on her door, and after a few seconds, it swings open and reveals her face. He was surprised to see that she was in her regular Night's Watch wear, with her hair done up the same way as the day before. "It's only going to be the two of us," he says to her quietly. "You didn't need to do all of that."

"True, but I don't know when we'll return. It's better to be safe than sorry rather than have someone witness me."

He couldn't argue that, and with a shrug, she left with him at his side, leaving out into the wild. Sam swore that he'd make sure to keep their outings a secret and let them in as quickly as possible. He wasn't sure how long they would remain out there, but long enough where they could get some decent teaching in.

Ghost was at his side as well, just in case they ran into any threats along the way. He had noticed something in his direwolf lately.

Usually, Ghost wasn't too inclined to people. He stayed closed to Jon, and was decent enough with Sam, considering he was the most passive man Jon had probably ever met. But with Daenerys, he had seen a change. Turns out, all it took was a scratch behind the ears from her to turn his fiery direwolf into a bloody puppy. Ghost had even gone on his back for _belly_ scratches – _belly scratches. His direwolf._

He had never seen it before in his life. For a moment, when she had done that, he truly thought she was a witch because only that kind of person could enchant his direwolf the way she had.

But, at the same time, he was happy to see it work out that way. It made him comfortable knowing that if Daenerys was in trouble, Ghost would help out too, and not just him.

As they walked deeper into the woods, Ghost ran up near the trees, chasing one of the animals. Daenerys chuckles as she watches him, smiling lightly.

"I always wanted a companion when I was younger," she states softly. "My brother and I were always on the run, only for a small time where we safe…I remember I used to feed this stray cat that would walk by the home we stayed in for a bit, little tiny bits of bread…I wonder where that cat is now. Probably dead, honestly."

He could hear the sadness in her voice. "You never had a home?" he asks her quietly.

"No. Not really…I still don't." She sighs and glances up at him as he stops walking to look at her. "I grew up always with my brother, Viserys, and he…he wasn't a good brother, to say the least. For a while, he cared but then…the madness took over him and the urge for the throne was too great that he would sacrifice anything – even his family – to get it. That's the thing with Targaryen's…we're fine by ourselves, but together, we do better. And he went against that." She glances at the ground. "Maybe that's why I tried so hard to get here…to find the last Targaryen before I am _truly_ on my own."

Jon looks down at her before gently pressing a hand against her shoulder. Her eyes turn back to him. "I don't think you'll ever truly be on your own. You'll have plenty to back you up, and you have an army…probably a million marriage suitors down the road." Daenerys snorts and rolls her eyes, glancing away. "I know that's the last thing on your mind right now but it'll happen. Just you wait."

"Oh, trust me, I know." They continue walking again until they break through a clearing of trees, and Jon watches Daenerys' eyes widen at what she sees.

It was one of his favorite spots to use when he wanted to get away from the hecticness of the Wall. There was a large open area filled with snow and dried land, surrounded by pine trees that were covered in the substance. Around them were icy bright flowers, as blue as the ocean. "This is beautiful," she whispers softly before turning to him. "How far away from the Wall are we?"

"Not too far. I usually come to this place to rest if the men are driving me too mad," he answers to her, seeing her snicker at his words. "But no one else knows about it, so now, it will be our new training spot." He walks over to her and hands her a lighter sword. She instantly takes it into her hands, looking at it in awe. "Usually, I'd hand a novice a wood sword but we're low on them as of recently."

She raises an eyebrow. "How come?"

Jon bites his lip. He didn't feel extremely comfortable telling her about the battle that happened not too long ago here, at least not yet. "We had a…big death toll not too long ago. Had to use a lot of wood to burn bodies. Including the practice swords."

Daenerys nods, not asking any more further questions, sensing that it was a sensitive topic. For which he was thankful.

"Now, that sword is usually for younger recruits, like for Olly. But, because you're of smaller stature, I think it will work fine for you." He walks over to her and gently places his hands over hers. "May I?" She nods, and he goes up behind her, trying to make sure to keep his distance so he didn't bother her. "Your grip yesterday was alright, but it's better if you hold it like this." He moves her fingers to the lower edge of the sword, and some to the higher, using both her hands. "Yesterday, you only used one hand, for this, you use two. If you are holding a lighter sword, it is easier to use one hand."

"Will I learn how to use a lighter sword?"

"Yes, you will, but down the line. It's easier to learn how to use two hands first than one," he answers, before gently kicking her feet a bit wider apart. "Always make sure your feet are never too close together. If they are, and someone is running at you, you might trip up on your own feet and then your dead, sliced to the neck or head or wherever."

"Sounds like you've seen a lot of those injuries," she chuckles a bit.

Jon sighs and shakes his head. "I've seen too many." He steps away from her and then takes out his own sword. "Now, come at me."

Her brow furrows. "Already?"

"Just do it."

Daenerys shrugs and runs forward, but Jon easily nudges her to the side, causing her to let out a grunt, and knocks her down, aiming his sword at her neck. "What was that for?"

"We are _training,_ Dany. Expect me to attack," he chuckles and then sees a switch in her eyes. He instantly lowers his sword. "Is everything alright? Is your wound fine?"

"Yeah, I-I'm fine," she mumbles before standing, shaking her head. "I'm okay. Let's go again."

He wanted to push her as to why she had suddenly dropped off, but he instead continues to train, knowing that if she felt she could tell him, she would.

She charges at him again, and when he goes to do the same move, she dodges, moving to the left and avoiding it altogether. They got at it again for a second, their swords clashing against each other until his strength was enough to overpower her, and she was sent stumbling back into the snow. He could hear a string of curses leaving her mouth.

It was adorable.

He found himself snickering and walking over to her. "How is it that a woman so small has the mouth of a sailor?" he remarks.

"It's because I am no ordinary woman," she responds, before glaring at his sword. "However it seems swords have bested me."

"We're just starting, don't get discouraged," he chuckles a bit. "With that, you didn't use what you did yesterday. You have to use your size against your enemy. If someone is bigger than you and they have the upper hand, charge into them, or kick them, or use your knee against them. You have access to some of their most vulnerable parts. Always go for it."

"Well…I didn't want to knee _you_ in the groin. You didn't deserve that."

"And I'm glad you didn't," he responds, seeing her smile. "But remember that, next time. Now…come at me again, Dany."

He sees the same shift in her eyes, and her sword lowers slightly.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asks her quietly, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I…I'm sorry." He sees her shake her head and then drop her sword, before taking a seat on the cold ground. "I'm just having…flashbacks, I guess." Her hands tangle in her hair, messing it up from the precise braid she had it in before, some tendrils falling loose along her back. "The name…what you just said."

"Do you mean Dany?" he inquires, moving to take a seat next to her.

She solemnly nods. "I think my brother was the last person that called me that, I don't even know."

"Oh…I didn't know. It just came out because your name is longer than most…I won't call you that."

"No, no, it's…it's fine, actually." She looks back up at him and sees her sigh. "I…for many years, my brother and I hid out, looking for somewhere to go, to stay safe…and the longer we were looking, the more…unsafe he became. He once said to me that…that he'd let a whole Dothraki tribe fuck me, and their horses too, just so he could get the throne."

"Seven hells," Jon mutters. "Sounds like a horrible man."

"He was…at least in the end. I always remember what he was like when we were younger…but that left him long before he was killed." Daenerys glances back up at him once more before biting her lip. "Although with you, I don't feel as…nervous when you say the name. Whenever Viserys spoke of my name like that, I knew it was followed by some request to use me in some way, because he always faked being sweet…but with you it sounds…I don't know, normal? I'm sorry if all of this sounds strange."

"No, no, it's completely fine," Jon responds softly. "I can understand where you're coming from with that, especially with what you grew up with…trust me, I'm not planning on doing any of that with you. It was just a way to shorten your name."

Daenerys chuckles lightly before nodding. "Good…then that's all I need. I like it…keep saying my name like that." She stands up and grabs her sword once more, cracking her neck as she did so. "Alright, enough of this. Let's continue to train." She raises her sword at him. "Come at me."

Jon feels his brow raise at her words and she only nudges him to get up with her foot. It was comical how she could go from revealing something deeply personal to back to training just like that. It just showed how normal it was for her to take things so seriously. He wondered how often she got to share her past with others.

If not so normal, he was happy he got to witness it.

"Stand your ground," he warns, to which she does, her stance strengthening in the ground and her grip holding steady, before he runs up and strikes, continuing their session.

* * *

They train for the next week, and then the week after that. And Jon was starting to realize he was in _trouble._

Not the bad kind of trouble, where White Walkers were on their way here and they were about to get their asses handed to them. No. He started to notice that there were two kinds of trouble in this world: the bad kind, and the good kind. And it seemed the good kind was owned exclusively by Daenerys Targaryen.

When he first agreed with Barristan to bring her in and keep her safe, he had only done it out of necessity. He had been worried sick about Sansa down south, and he was willingly offering his services to him so that he could get her back. Keeping the dragon queen here was nothing but a time frame. At first.

And then, he started training with her. And if he wasn't impressed by her fighting before, he was shocked at how _easily_ she caught on.

It seemed to only take a few sessions for her to properly handle the sword and take him on. By the end of the second week of training, she was knocking him down. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to someone of her stature, but she was genuinely _good._ Nowhere near perfect – there was always room for improvement – but he could see how much potential she truly had. She was fighting better than any new recruit he had seen in years.

But it wasn't her resilience that would get him in trouble. No. It was who she was. Just in general.

Jon had never been close to women growing up. He had Catelyn, but she was never his mother and she treated him like the scum of the earth. There was Sansa, but for a long time, she had been a carbon copy of her mother. Arya had been sweet, but she had never been old enough to truly understand him. And then, he went off to join the Night's Watch, where you were supposed to swear yourself off to children.

Then he had met Ygritte, and he had fallen for her. She had been the first strong woman he had ever met that really set something deep within him, that made him _want_ to be better, but at the end of the day, he knew it was too good to be true. They had been enemies at the time. If he hadn't killed her, she probably would have killed him. He would always have a place in his heart for her.

But with Daenerys…it was something completely different. He didn't know what.

As the days went by, he found himself confiding in her a lot more often. When she had become his steward, she spent a lot of time in his chambers, whether that be giving him letters or food, but often she would sit down and they would talk. At first, it was about minimal things – the food they were bringing in, the trainees down in the courtyard, things like that – but now, he was starting to get into deeper topics.

One of which was Tormund, chained up below him, knowing that sooner or later, he would have to make a deal with him regarding the White Walkers. But he didn't know how to bring up the situation to the girl.

And every time he looked at her…he felt something different. Something he was _quite_ sure a Lord Commander shouldn't feel.

He wasn't surprised. He wasn't an idiot. He had been aware of her beauty the moment she revealed herself. Daenerys was known to be one of the most beautiful women in the world – at least that's what he had heard from rumors, all of which were true. But now, it was more like he was appreciating not just her beauty, but _her_ in general. And that was a _dangerous_ place to be.

He knew it was pointless. There were _thousands_ of men who thought like this probably about her, and there was no chance _he_ would ever be considered a suitor, so it was better if he just kept his silence to himself. However, he needed her advice. She may still be young, but she had a little bit more experience _leading_ than he did. Maybe she would be of use.

So, during a late-night chat when she had brought up some freshly made bread and her _own_ soup ("made with care" she had said) for them to munch on, he had brought it up.

"I need some help," he states quietly.

Daenerys turned her head to look at him in surprise. "From me? I don't know how much help I can be."

"You can…believe me." He lets out a deep sigh before looking back over at her. "I'm going to tell you something. Everyone here already knows about it but you need to know in order for me to get the proper advice." She nods quietly, putting her soup down and listening. "For a time, I was a part of the wildlings."

She raises her brow in surprise. "You were?"

"I was captured by them…taken to their leader. I stayed there at first to blend in and get information on them but over time, I…I grew connections to people. Gained their trust for a bit…fell for someone, too." At Daenerys' brow raise once more, he continues. "Her name was Ygritte…she was a fighter. Excellent archer. Practically bullied me half the time," he chuckles a bit. "But she was one of the bravest women I ever met…and I betrayed her. I betrayed all of them."

Her gaze softens. "What happened?"

"I came back to the Wall. They wanted me to do something and I just…couldn't. I knew my duty was here and I had to follow through with it. I'll never forget the way they looked…the way _she_ looked…but if I had stayed there, it would mean abandoning everything I've ever done. I knew I was better than that…then they attacked the Wall. The wildlings wanted to break through. We were able to take them down…she died. Shot in the heart by Olly."

He sees out of the corner of his eye that she stands and walks over to sit next to him, pulling up a chair. "I'm so sorry, Jon."

"It's alright…it was a long time ago. I've moved on." He looks back over at her and sees her violet eyes twinkling with tears. His brow furrowed. "Why are you close to crying?"

"I'm sorry, I…I just know what it's like to lose someone you care about so quickly. That's all." She wipes at her eyes and nods. "Continue. What happened next?"

He doesn't push for information – that was hers to tell and hers alone. "We killed most of them that tried to attack, but I _know_ there are more out there. More at risk of what might happen. We captured Tormund, one of their supposed 'leaders,' I guess is the right word, and he and I have…a history, to say the least. I want his support and the wildlings support when this threat comes from the North, but I have no idea where they are, or how to get it, or if even _Tormund_ will allow it after what I've done. I feel like I've ruined the trust between us."

Daenerys nods quietly, taking in everything he had to say. "Be honest with me." He nods. "Truly, how bad is this threat to the North? You haven't told me about it, yet."

"Because I…I don't want you to be involved with it, as much as possible. It's too dangerous for a future queen." He glances at the ground. "It's…it's really bad, Dany. Really bad. I fear for the children, the women, the elderly, the ones who don't know how to fight…I don't know what to do. And now, even though I want to bring them to safety, the fucking brothers here aren't happy about it. I don't know what to do."

She was silent for a moment before leaning back against the chair. "Well…do you believe that this…Tormund, right?" He nods. "Tormund…do you think that he cares about his people?"

"They aren't necessarily _his_ people – the wildlings don't have a select ruler."

"But they count on specific individuals to lead them through things like hunting, fighting, all of that?" He nods again. "Then he should listen to you. He _knows_ about this threat as well, doesn't he? If he cares about the safety of his people, he'll recognize that this is the best bet he has at keeping them alive, despite whatever the brothers here may think."

"But what if he doesn't trust me?"

"Then that's his own problem, Jon. You can't force people to trust you once you've gone back on your word…I had someone like that in my ranks and I let him go because I knew I couldn't keep him around…at least not for a long time. But it's things like _this_ that can help with regaining that trust that you want with him. He's seen you fight, and he's seen that you care – yes, you went back on your word to them, but is that more important than keeping innocent lives safe?"

Jon nods quietly listening to every word she said. She had a point. That was what he had been thinking for a long time, just wanting to somehow get them here safely, give them lands south of the Wall so that they can be alright from the threat, and take the fighting men with them. This wasn't a fight that was land vs. land. It was a fight of living vs…whatever it was those things were.

"Alright," he says quietly, nodding his head. "Then I'm going to say that to him. I…I will."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow at him before she gently places her hand on top of his. The movement startles him for a second, but when her light fingers wrap around his own, that feeling goes away. "Do you want me to come with you when you talk with him? I'll have your back."

"Dany, you don't even know exactly what is going on."

"Then _tell me,"_ she urges. "Maybe when I return home to Meereen, I can _help_ you. You just need to let me know what is going on."

He sees the pleading look in her eyes, clutching his hand tighter. For a moment, he considers it. He hadn't felt that he could trust someone so easily as he had with Daenerys. And she was right – when she got everything straightened out with Meereen and her dragons, she probably _could_ help them. Fire seemed to work on them – at least if he could remember right from years ago.

However, there was a knock on the door that interrupted his thoughts. She pulls her hand away as the door opens, and Sam comes in.

"Daenerys, Aemon wants to see you – something about a story he wants to tell. You know how he is," Sam chuckles lightly.

Daenerys smiles and nods. "I'm coming. Let him know." Sam nods and leaves, closing the door slightly but enough so that she could leave. She turns to him a moment later, nodding towards the outside. "I don't know what's truly holding you back from telling me…have I not proven myself to you yet."

"You have, Dany, I just…I want to keep you safe."

"A true queen can't keep hiding behind others to keep her safe. Isn't that why you are training me now?" To which he nods, almost an incoherent one. "Then what makes this any different?" He doesn't respond, glancing away. She sighs and turns towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jon. I'm going to head to bed after talking with my uncle. Goodnight."

Before he could speak, she closes the door and leaves him alone. Jon lets his head fall into his hands, a silent groan of irritation leaving him. No, he knew she had proven herself, and with more training, he was sure she'd be even better than before.

It was him that was having trouble letting go of the idea that she could get hurt. And he _hated_ thinking about that.

* * *

_Daenerys_

She had been holding back.

For the last two weeks, Daenerys had been regularly speaking with Aemon, while also serving Jon, and while she knew a part of her had questions for the older man, she had been so enthralled with his past that those ideas had gone out the window. He had a _history_ that was so amazing to hear, about everything he had gone through.

With how old he was, Daenerys prayed that she had just as long of a life that he had. It seems that living long in this world was a bigger achievement than dying in battle with how often the latter happened.

But, now, it was getting to the end of week two. While she had been constantly training with Jon and acting as a man on her part, she hadn't done at all what she had come here to do – and that was get Aemon's advice. And _many_ things had been popping up in her head lately.

So, today, when they closed yet another book he had written on what their family had gone through, she decided to bring up her first topic to her uncle, something she was sure he would have _some_ idea on how to handle.

"Aemon?" she asks quietly. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course, my dear. Ask me anything."

She gently places the book to the side and bites her lip, thinking of the best way to ask. "I've told you about what's happened in Meereen, how the former slave masters are revolting…it's the main reason I'm here. I even ordered my men to reopen the fighting pits but even that seems to have…gone wary. The slave masters aren't willing to accept that they've been taken over. I want to show that I'm not some joke, but I don't know how without…my dragons or my people behind me."

Her uncle was quiet for a moment, sitting in his thoughts before speaking. "I understand your struggles. Leading your people is something that will come hard at first, but hopefully easier with age. This is the first time you've really _sat_ down and ruled somewhere – not just led an army – correct?"

She nods but realizes quickly that he doesn't see, so instead, she speaks, "Yes."

"I understand why you have locked away your children – the two that are down there. It's for the safety of your people there. But…you can't keep them in there forever. Those dragons are meant to be free and wild, to be able to fly as much as they want while also stay connected to you. If you are keeping them in a cage, then there is an even _less_ chance they will support you."

"Then…what do I do about them hurting others?"

"What happened was a one-off example of what a dragon can do when they are upset," Aemon remarks. "From how I hear it, it sounds like they acted out of frustration. You've been so busy trying to rule Meereen and be this queen for these people that you've forgotten what path you are meant to be on – coming _here_ and taking back your throne. You've forgotten about your dragons. For a while, they were alone, angry, most likely missing their mother. Therefore, they do what any child does when they feel unwanted – they act out to try and gain attention."

She had never looked at it that way before. "You truly think that's what it was?"

"Well, you say they had never hurt anyone else before?"

"Not unless they were directly threatening me."

"That's the key here, Daenerys. That they _only_ acted out or harmed someone if they were protecting you. This is the first time they've done something that was harmful to innocents – and I believe it has something to do with how _you_ had treated them. I know you want to be a queen, to find a way to bring these people out of the dark, but you _must_ remember, you _are_ a Targaryen. One of the mightiest houses in the world. You can't let the opinions of smaller minded people stop you from doing what you are meant to do. If we did that, I wouldn't be here right now."

That was true. Out of everyone in her family, Aemon was the one who had survived. He had some ways of looking at the world that no one else did. "And…if I do let them go, what do I do?"

"This other one…Drogon, I presume? That's his name?"

"Yes, it is."

"You said he ran off as well before you could keep an eye on him, but from the stories you've told me, I always felt you showed more affection towards him than your other children." She feels her shoulders drop slightly. "He is named after your late husband – despite what he did to you in the beginning, Khal Drogo was the man that gave you your first taste of power, of what you _could_ have. Of what a relationship could be like. It was only a matter of time before you grow attached to one specific dragon. I'm not surprised that it is him."

"I do," she whispers, her voice breaking slightly. "I did feel closer to him and I…I feel terrible about it."

"Oh, no, don't worry about that, my dear," Aemon promises her, his hand reaching out blindly to grab hers. "Targaryen's have built connections with dragons for years, whether they had plenty on their side or only one. It's not uncommon for you to build a connection with a specific dragon. I don't blame you for that." He lets go of her hand and continues to speak. "However, just because you _do_ have that specific connection with your dragon, that doesn't mean the others should be left out. Show them the same affection you would Drogon. Give them the same amount of food, if you're able. Let them fly freely. Speak to them as you would the others…I know having three is a lot to handle, but it's what has to be done."

Daenerys sighs lightly and nods. "I've been thinking about that a lot lately…sometimes I wish there was someone else out there to bond with the other two if that makes any sense. It's hard to keep track of all three…it's why I'm here now."

"It would be a treat if there was someone else who could help, but for now, you must focus on yourself, and _your_ dragons."

Daenerys nods quietly, taking his advice in. "What about Drogon? How would I go about…finding him?"

"Drogon seems like he knows what he's doing," Aemon states. "He doesn't seem like the type of creature to just _wander_ off without a reason. I think for him, you should let him come to you."

"Really? You don't think I should try and look for him?"

"Well, it would be _quite_ hard to find a wandering dragon, don't you think?" Aemon chuckles lightly. "He could be anywhere in the world, and you can't spend your time looking for something that could get up and fly away in a moment. When he is ready, he will return to you. It's not like many things would be able to harm a dragon…you don't need to worry about him. I feel that he's doing this for a reason…or she, if that's what is going on."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "What do you mean _she?_ "

"Dragons can take both the man and woman parts when needed for breeding," Aemon explains. "It's why years ago, there was an abundance of dragon eggs. Yours have been the only ones available in recent memory, but who knows…he might be doing something like that. He might be flying around until he feels you are ready for him…dragons are smarter than they let on. We must respect them as we would respect our rulers and our lords and ladies."

Daenerys nods once more, letting what he said sink in. She had never thought about that. The fact that dragons would be able to do so…maybe she would somehow stumble across…more dragons? She didn't even know what she would do with that information if it came about…it would be like a reawakening of the prime Targaryen years…all falling onto her back.

"What about the betrayers? Or the people who are trying to take over? How am I going to rule?"

"It is a tough situation you are in, that it is. The best advice I can give you is to face them head-on. Coming here was smart to keep you safe initially, but after some time, you must return and face those masters. Let your dragons loose – both in reality and mentally. You are more than what you seem – it's time the rest of the world saw it as well. You will have your men behind you, and if you treat your dragons right, they will be behind you as well." Aemon turns in her direction, looking at the bed but making sure he could hear her. "In regards to your people, I think opening up the fighting pits is a good idea, but there have to be some restrictions on who can fight, what they can do…everything. In fact, I would say that _everything_ can be the same, but with rules, ways in which people are protected and safe. That is what you want to bring to Slaver's Bay, correct? Protection for the citizens?"

"Yes…I would."

"That that is what needs to be done. Place restrictions on certain things, new rules that if broken, that's when consequences are handed to them. And see your people more. Visit the town area as often as you can…people may turn on you when you execute someone, but as long as you _constantly_ show that you care about them, then they will change their minds quickly…is that taking advantage of smaller-minded people? Sometimes, it may be called that, but when you are trying to rule a city – and not just that, but a collection of cities – it is what you have to do."

Daenerys sighs but nods once more, listening to everything he had to say. It wasn't like she hadn't been thinking of this for a long time. She had just needed Aemon to confirm it for her. "Thank you…I needed to hear that."

Aemon nods. "You don't need to thank me." She grabs his tea for him and helps him drink it, and when he lowers the cup, he speaks again. "Not for nothing, by the way…it wouldn't help to have someone by your side helping you."

Her brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean two people. A proper hand to the queen, and maybe a…king consort, or something like that." He turns to look at her. "I know you are fully capable of handling the world yourself, but there's never _any_ harm in asking for help. It's why you are here now. A hand to the queen would be able to give you the advice that you need constantly, and a partner would be able to help you, even in your darkest times."

Daenerys lets out a small exhale before glancing at the floor. "A hand to the queen, I've been thinking of…but I don't think marriage or anything else is in the cards for a long time." She glances back up at him. "We were thinking of arranging a marriage between myself and one of the former slave master's sons, to bring peace, but I don't know if I'm willing to do that, now. Not with what happened to me or my loved ones."

"Who says you have to stay within the realm of Meereen?" Aemon asks. "Daenerys, you _must_ remember that you aren't going to be there forever – eventually you will come to Westeros, and one of the best ways to solidify political alliances is through marriage. Possibly in the future, maybe look for someone here. Someone who can not only give you an army but a secure vision of what you want to happen for your people. When you begin to think like that, then you're a true queen."

Daenerys feels herself smile lightly. She had been thinking about marriage a little more lately, but not for the right reasons. Only because she had wondered if she would ever find someone out of love instead of politics. But Aemon was right. The right kind of political relationship was always first. Maybe love could grow from that.

"Hmm…have any ideas for someone here in Westeros? Perhaps at the Wall?" she teases.

Aemon lets out a laugh. "Don't think there would be many matches here, my dear."

* * *

_Barristan_

For fuck's sake, he hated the cold.

Riding down to Winterfell – or at least the outskirts of it – Barristan was constantly reminded of a big reason why he had gone to Essos. Not only was it where Daenerys was, but it was warmer than probably any place here in Westeros. Sometimes he wondered why she would want to come back to a dreary place like this when she could have the beaches of Lys or something like that.

But at the same time, he knew why. And that was why he stood by her.

Getting to the point where he was now hadn't been easy. The first week had been the most grueling, as he had to stay out in the freezing cold on many nights because there were no open inns so close to the Wall. The second week had been a bit easier, but due to high crowds, he had been forced to stay in a room with no fire, so he was stuck trying to keep himself warm.

But this was what his queen wanted, and he would make sure that she got it. As long as she was getting the aid that she needed. The guidance that they both knew she required.

Today was a slow day. He had made it to the outskirts of Winterfell. In the distance, he could see the hung banners of the Bolton's riding over the carved ones of the Starks. For the last couple of days, he had been staying out near the woods, analyzing every possible entrance he could use to get in. Most were covered by guards, so trying to get through that would be a challenge. But then there was the fact that the inside was covered with them as well, a strong hindrance in any plan he would have. Someway he'd figure out a way in, but how?

Suddenly, there was something aimed at his back, stabbing slightly at his middle, and he froze.

"Move slowly," a voice from behind him commands. Barristan recognizes it as a woman's voice, although lower. He stands, as slow as possible, before turning to face the person who currently had their sword aimed at his gut.

It was the _tallest_ woman he had ever seen, with blonde hair, cut short. She had on a suit of armor. Next to her was a younger man, who seemed to be looking at him in shock. "I apologize for this untimely meeting," Barristan starts out, trying to remain calm. "But I am nothing to be beheld of here."

"Who are _you?_ " the woman asks angrily. "And _why_ are you scouting out Winterfell? You've been here for _days._ "

"I don't understand why I have to tell you that," he responds, to which she aims her sword at his neck. He felt himself gulp. It was _quite_ a big sword. A Valyrian sword, if he could examine it properly.

"You have to tell me because if you don't, I'll make sure the pointy end of this sword ends up through your neck," the woman warns.

"Wait a moment," the boy mutters, stepping forward and lowering the woman's sword. She looks at him in anger but he responds by stepping forward. "I've seen you King's Landing before you were dismissed. You're Ser Barristan. You were one of the heads of the Kingsguard."

At this, the woman lowers her sword and stares at him in shock. "Ser _Barristan?_ You look…different."

The man rolls his eyes. "Well, that tends to happen when you're away from King's Landing for quite some time."

"Forgive me." The woman kneels before him, looking at him now with an expression of guilt. "We did not know exactly who you were. I am Brienne of Tarth, and this is Podrick Payne. We have been out here for quite some time. We did not think we would come across someone else."

Barristan chuckles and nods at them to stand. "Please, don't kneel before me. I am just a knight serving my queen."

Brienne's brow furrows now as she stands. "But you aren't with King's Landing anymore?"

"That's right. I'm not." He turns back around to examine the castle once more. "I now serve Daenerys Targaryen, as her head guard. The queen that I think will take back Westeros and make it what it was before – one of peace, and not of…war and anguish as it has been."

"The mad king's daughter?" Brienne gasps.

"She is not like her father. Not in any way." He turns back to look at her. "She is so much sweeter and kinder than any person you could have ever met, but she has the wit, passion, and determination of one of the most loyalist knights out there. I couldn't imagine serving a better queen. If you know who I am, I wouldn't serve someone I didn't believe in…even if I was dismissed by that disgusting excuse for a king, I left with my honor. And I give it to her now."

"I also heard she is quite pretty," Podrick remarks from where he stood, a dreamy smile on his face. Barristan fights the urge to snort. Ah. A squire. A part of him would always love how innocent they were until they grew up.

"She is. One of the most beautiful in the world, but you didn't hear that from me," he comments, winking at the boy before turning back around. There was silence for a moment before Brienne comes over to his side.

"But, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here and not with her across the world?"

"She _isn't_ across the world."

"What? Then where is she?!"

"Can I trust you?" he asks, his voice holding a warning sign. "Or will you sell her out?"

Brienne raises her hands in defense, her sword now at her side once more. "I despise the Lannisters as much as you do. They hurt Lady Sansa – practically degraded her into nothing before she was sold here by that fucking Baelish. I have no gain by telling them where Daenerys might be."

Barristan raises his eyes to Podrick, who seemingly snaps out of his goofy smile and raises his own hands in defense. "I'm with her."

He looks between the two of them. They seemed to be reliable. And considering she was aiming a sword at his back, there was a reason they were here. "Are you with Stannis' army?" he asks quickly.

"No. I hate him," Brienne mutters. "He killed his own brother with blood magic with a red priestess…Renly Baratheon was a good man, despite who he was attracted to."

"I can agree with that…he was nothing but kind to me," Barristan responds. "But why are you two here?"

"I made a promise to Catelyn Stark years ago that I would protect her daughters…I can't locate Arya Stark, wherever it is she might be. Sansa, however, is right in that castle. I have been waiting here night and day for her signal."

Barristan's brow furrows. "Signal?"

Brienne comes up behind him and points towards a tower in the distance. "You see that?" she asks, to which he nods. "That is one of Winterfell's towers. I have an inside source there that has told Sansa that when she can, she will light a candle in that tower, and when we see it, that is our signal that we are able to come and get her. But there has been so much going on that there has been _nothing_ lately. We are desperate to save her." Brienne glances behind her. "I don't know where Stannis' army is. I just know that if he comes here, I'll end his revolution once and for all."

Barristan raises an eyebrow at her but takes it what she says. If they were here for the same reason, they might as well do this together. "Daenerys is at the Wall." Brienne's eyes widen at his sudden revelation. "Meereen was attacked. She was nearly killed. I brought her here to meet her uncle so that she could get the advice that she needs. However, I made an exchange with the acting Lord Commander – if he could keep the queen safe for the time she was there, I would travel to Winterfell and rescue his sister for the queen."

Brienne's brow furrows at him now. "Why would she want her rescued? She doesn't know her."

"Daenerys is the type of woman who, if she had the proper training, would go in and save her herself. She despises the idea of people feeling trapped and taken over without a say. It was how she lived her life for years, and she doesn't want anyone else to experience that. So, she wanted me to save her. And I will, for her. I don't like the Bolton's just as much as the next…I've heard horrible things from what they have done."

"We've seen some of their...disposals," Podrick states quietly. "They…flay their victims. Alive."

"And that's just wrong," Barristan responds. "A horrible way to die." He looks back up at Brienne. "But, if you and I are managing the same thing, how about we make a deal? We can save her _together._ Three is always better than two. Then, we can bring her back to the Wall, where she can be safe with her brother until Winterfell can be retaken by someone else."

Brienne looks between him and then Podrick, who shrugs his shoulders. "I was always told that Ser Barristan was one of the noblest knights alive – is that true?" she remarks, a bit of a quip in her voice.

Barristan chuckles lightly. "That is for you to trust me on. If Daenerys Targaryen can see that, I suppose you might as well – depends on how much you want Lady Sansa rescued."

He sees a switch in her eyes. He could tell that this woman was rightly trained. The way she stood and acted, she had probably been looked down upon all her life – most likely not literally because _gods_ was this woman tall – but there was a need to prove herself. And most likely, to prove herself to him. So, she reaches out her gloved hand, and he takes it, shaking it a couple of times before lowering it to her side.

"We have a deal," she responds easily.

He nods as he turns back to the tower. "So…a candle, huh?"

"Yup, means we have plenty of time to chat," Podrick remarks before plopping down on a stump next to him. "Is it true she has three dragons?"

Barristan rolls his eyes once more but decides to entertain the squire. Might as well have fun while waiting. "Yes. And they'll bite your head off too if you let them."

"Seven hells."

* * *

_Daenerys_

She didn't know where the time had gone, but sooner or later, Aemon was long asleep, and most of the castle was as well. Her stomach was aching for something to eat, so despite her brain saying 'sleep,' she decided to go with her gut for once.

As she went down to the kitchen, she remarked how most doors were closed. The ones who did have them open were either out on the Wall, or somewhere else along the walls of Castle Black. Jon was most likely asleep – not like she wanted to see him anyway…

She hated that he kept so much to himself. She was always a people-pleaser. She wanted to get to know who she was working with, hear about their experiences and what they have gone through. Jon had mentioned this 'threat' beyond the Wall _so many times_ at this point that it was growing tiresome that she _still_ didn't know what it was. All to…what? Keep her safe? Wasn't it safer that she _did_ know rather than not?

Maybe he was thinking of other things at the same time, she didn't know. All she _did_ know was that eventually, she would have to find out. Because she could see the fear in his eyes. And she didn't know how comfortable she was leaving the Wall in a couple of weeks and letting Jon deal with it himself.

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when the scent of cake started to infiltrate her senses. Something _sweet._ Something better than any other food she had been having here lately. And it was calling her name. So she followed the smell, going all the way down to the kitchens. There didn't seem to be anyone really in there, but she could _definitely_ smell something amazing.

She walks forward, and on the table seemed to be a freshly baked cake, and when she took a small piece from it, she could sense that it was made using some sort of fruit – which one, she couldn't tell, but she knew that it tasted _good._ She sliced up a piece for herself, practically devouring it within seconds. The next slice she cut, however, she heard a soft gasp and she turned her head to see a person standing in the entrance to the kitchen, with what seemed to be a young boy in their arms. It was a _girl._

 _'Gilly,'_ her mind reminded her of, thinking back to the first time Sam had brought her to Aemon. This must be _her._ She hadn't seen her around the castle at all due to her spending most of her time either with Jon or Aemon. This was the first time she met her.

"Hello," she says softly, approaching the girl. Instantly, her arms tightened around her son, and Daenerys stopped moving. Something had happened to her to make her think like this. "I'm not going to hurt you – I'm one of you." She lowers her guard, trying to smudge off the dirt she had on her face. "I'm hiding here, just like you."

The girl looks at her and then down at her son, who was sleeping. "Did…did you like the cake?"

"I did. It was delicious. Did you make it?" Daenerys asks her softly.

"…I did."

"Well, you're quite the baker." She walks over to her with her slice, handing it to her. "I think you should have the rest, however. You're probably making it now because these men don't respect you, do they?"

A moment later, the woman nods.

"I understand. I wouldn't want to either. That's why I spend my time with Jon."

"So…you're a woman too?" she whispers.

"Sam hasn't told you?" Gilly shakes her head. Daenerys leans in close to her ear. "I'm Daenerys Targaryen, but that can stay a secret between you and I. Call me Daryn." Gilly looks at her in shock and Daenerys chuckles, nodding. "Know that you're not alone, at least for a little while. If you need anything, come to me."

Gilly smiles at her, one that seemed to emit joy and happiness. "Yes, I…I will. Thank you," she whispers to her again, this time full of glee. "I'll keep your secret…and any cake you want, I'll make it for you."

Daenerys snickers. "Excellent." She looks down at her son and feels herself smile. "What's his name?"

Gilly looks at her and then bites her lip. "Sam."

"Ah, of course," Daenerys says softly. She brings a finger up to tickle the boy's cheek, and he giggles up at her, causing her heart to flip upside down. She would always have a soft spot in her heart for children, even if she couldn't have any. "I agree with your name choice. Sam is a good man."

"He saved me," Gilly responds quietly. "Both my son and I…I wouldn't be here without him. Even alive."

"Then he deserves my thanks – as I never would have gotten to eaten this cake," Daenerys jokes lightly, seeing Gilly smile at that one too. "Go and rest. I can see in your eyes that you're tired. I'll clean up for you down here."

"Really? You don't have to-"

"Don't worry, I want to," Daenerys insists, pushing her lightly towards the door. "You go and sing lullabies to your boy. I'll cover you."

Gilly offers her a gratefully smile, as she takes the rest of the cake with her. "Thank you…Daryn."

"You're welcome," she says back, watching as she left around the corner. She waits until her footsteps disappear before she lets out a soft sigh, looking over at the dirty pots and pans. She didn't want to take a mother away from her child for a second. She knew what that felt like. She didn't want anyone else to ever feel like that.

If she could make someone's life a little easier tonight, she was glad it was hers.

As she walked to the bucket of water that sat in the corner, she grabbed a cloth and started to scrub as hard as she could, getting all the muck and grime off of them. As she did, however, she didn't hear the footsteps that crept up into the kitchen, followed by the sound of boots stopping along the stone-cold floor.

Her hands stopped scrubbing for a moment, and that's when she heard it. "You're a real hoot, aren't ya?"

Daenerys turns her head and feels herself freeze as she stood. There was Janos Slynt, his eyes narrowed at her, arms crossed. Her hair was still up and short, there was a good amount of dirt on her face – she still had her furs. She should be fine. But the way he was staring…did not seem good.

"What is it?" she asks, her voice lowering for his sake. "I'm trying to clean your people's mess here."

"Cut the crap, Daryn," Slynt hisses at her before storming up to where she stood. "Or is that your name? How you're suddenly all chummy with _wildlings?_ "

Daenerys feels herself gulp. She _knew_ she should have looked around before she started speaking to Gilly. "So? She's a normal person…just like any of us."

"She's one of those whores from beyond the Wall – a betrayer! Nothing more. And I'm starting to believe you might be too…maybe someone our good 'Lord Commander' has a crush on," he mocks, his eyes slits now. "Maybe you're someone the Lannisters would want. I could get my position back. Go back to meaning something instead of this shit hole."

She doesn't let her guard down. "Why would you think _they_ would want me? They're the people who sent me away!"

"With this hair, you could _easily_ be a secret Targaryen…hiding something, Daryn?" he snarls.

"I have my hair because my mother came from Old Valyria before she died when I was young," she comes up on the fly. "You travel to Essos, there are still plenty of us there. It's not uncommon. I'm sorry that your pathetic life hasn't been exposed to it."

Slynt suddenly snaps and goes at her throat, but she quickly pulls her dagger – another weapon Jon had taught her the basics in one morning – and aims it at his throat. He stills but doesn't wave his glare away.

"You kill me and your Lord Commander will have something to say about this," she warns.

Slynt shakes his head and takes one step back, before lowering his hands. "You may think that you've one-upped me…but I know there's something else to you, 'Daryn.' Or whatever it is your true name is." He steps away and spits in her direction. "You wait until the morning. Then we'll see where the daggers are aimed at next," he growls.

He leaves with a spin, stomping away. As soon as he left, she felt herself let out an exhale, and panic instantly began to set in. What did he _think_ he knew? If he already thought there was _Targaryen_ in her…fuck. ' _Fuck, fuck, **fuck.** '_ Her cover would be blown. She'd be turned in. Jon would most likely be killed. She…

She had to tell Jon. _Right. Now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, someone was going to have suspicions at some point, ya know? (shrugs shoulders) Trust me next chapter ya'll are not going to want to miss. Gonna see a real shift in some dynamics very soon ;)
> 
> Also I have to say I'm loving writing Barristan in this. I never knew how much I could miss a character until doing his scenes. ugh, why did they have to kill him off (cries) but hey at least he's here in this story lmfao 
> 
> Please, if you can, leave a comment and let me know what you think or what you might want to happen, as they always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for all of you. You've all be so amazing and I've appreciated every single one of your responses, and I try to make sure I respond to everyone, so thank you for being so great - you are all awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to stay up to date with our little story here and I'll see you all next time. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! And Happy Halloween to all my American readers! May your day be spooky and filled with candy *yum!*
> 
> Coming up: Daenerys tells Jon of Slynt's suspicions and he *handles* it. Things start to escalate between our two favorite beans, and the two share a moment peace together.


	4. A Reassignment to Greyguard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Daenerys talk about what happened to her, and Jon finds a way to handle it. Meanwhile, Daenerys comes to an interesting realization about Jon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all SO much for you response on the last chapter. Your comments always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you, so thank you all for being so amazingly awesome! I hope you enjoy :)

_Daenerys_

She _ran._

Daenerys didn't think she had ever felt so much fear as she did heading towards Jon's chambers. She knew that it was late, and it wasn't like he was going to tell anyone of his suspicions this time at night, but she couldn't get over his face. How he had looked at her. The way his eyes seemed to plan out every part of her death when she was found out.

And he had intention, too. If he gave her over to the crown, they would probably bring him back with open arms because she was the enemy. And she _couldn't_ allow that to happen. Jon must be able to do _something. Anything._

She walks around the corner and then quickly hides when a couple of other brothers were heading back to their chambers. She could hear them speaking, mumbling slurs to each other, their voices slow. They had been drinking. She didn't blame them. Maybe that was one of the few ways they stayed warm up here.

But that wasn't what she needed to be thinking about right now. She had to get to him.

Once she was sure the voices were gone and their footsteps had faded into nothing, Daenerys quickly peeks around the corner and moves again, this time a bit quicker so she wouldn't run into any other brothers that were stumbling back to their rooms. By the time she reaches Jon's, her hair had fallen loose from its braids, and she needed to get somewhere quick before someone saw her.

She knocks on the door. No response. Her panic starts to set in at someone catching her. She knocks again, this time louder. No movement once more. "Jon!" she whispers fiercely, trying to _somehow_ get a reaction from him. "Please! Open your door!"

Daenerys still hears nothing, and for a second when she thinks all hope is lost and she had to run away from the Wall _tonight,_ she hears a door swing open. Her head turns quickly and she feels herself still a bit at the image before her. Apparently…Jon did _not_ sleep with a shirt.

"Oh, sh-," she mutters, averting her eyes. "I-I'm sorry."

"Dany? What are you doing out here?" he asks as he pulls her in, closing the door behind them. She watches as he grabs a tunic from a chair, pulling it over his upper body. However, she didn't respond to herself when her eyes looked over his chest before the piece of clothing covered it. She also noticed that his hair was messy. He had probably been sleeping for a while, and it looked…different on him. Better, almost.

While a part of her was _thoroughly_ impressed with what she had seen, that wasn't what she was here for.

"I…something happened," she breathes out, trying to keep her wits on end as she spoke to him. "With…with Janos."

Instantly she sees a switch in his eyes, from concern to anger. "I swear to the gods if he hurt you-"

"He didn't hurt me," she reassures him, reaching forward and grabbing his hand as he was reaching for the door. He looks down at her movements, but she doesn't take it away from him. It was like she _needed_ to make sure he was still there. That she wasn't alone. "But…but I think he might be onto us."

His brow furrows for a moment before he gently brings her over to the bed, letting her sit down while he grabs his chair, pulling it across from her. "What happened?"

"I…I left from Aemon's chambers," she begins to speak, trying to retrace her steps. "And I was hungry…and someone was baking something in the kitchen so I went down. I met Gilly there…she was making a midnight snack or something because she didn't want the other brothers to eat it…and we talked and she's _really_ nice…maybe I showed too much of myself, I don't know…after she left, I volunteered to clean up for her, but then Janos, he…he came in and he…he wanted to know why I was so kind to her. I told him why and he just…didn't think of me as a man. He really thought I was a _Targaryen_ because of my hair and he just…I could _see_ it in his eyes he didn't believe me to be Daryn…I feel like he's going to tell everyone and…and I'm so scared, Jon…I'm fucking _terrified._ "

At this point, tears had already escaped and were trailing down her cheeks, despite her wanting to remain as strong as possible while telling him. But she couldn't help it. She didn't know these men. She knew Jon, and she knew Sam was a good man. That was it. Jon had told her about a couple other of his friends here – Edd being one of them, who had been kind to her – but other than him, there was no one else she truly knew.

And she did not know what would happen if most men found out the daughter of the former mad king was here.

She almost expected him to tell her to stop crying so that they could come up with some plan. But instead, she feels arms wrap around her, pull her close, a warmness overwhelming her senses so much so that it makes tears fall faster. "It's alright," she hears him whisper. "You're safe. You don't need to run. We can figure this out."

"W-why do you think I'd run away?" she stutters.

"Dany, I can hear how fast your heart is beating," he chuckles a bit, causing her to blush. "It's alright. He can't get to you in here." His hand comes up and he wipes away another tear that streaks down her cheek, his touch comforting after what she had gone through. He stands a moment later and goes over to the windows in the room, closing the curtains. "Now…did anyone else see that you two were there?"

"N-no," she responds, watching him as he went over to his fireplace and started to light a fire. "At least I don't think so…I tried very hard to stay hidden while running here."

"Okay, good." Once a fire is blazing in the room, he comes back over to her, his shadow dancing across the wall as he moved. "How long ago did this happen?"

"Not too long…maybe ten minutes ago?" she questions herself. "I sort of lost track of time. I don't know."

"That's fine, don't worry about that," he says to her gently before moving to sit next to her this time. "He's not going to get away with telling everyone. I'll make sure of it."

Daenerys looks up at him in confusion. "But how? He's-"

"Dany." His voice was firm. Commanding. It sent a shiver down her spine. But when he turned to look at her, all she could see was a look of softness in his eyes, comfort, trying to get her through her fears. "Don't worry. I _will_ handle this. All you have to do is sit back and watch. I promise."

She bites her lip, trying to see if he was just saying this to calm her down, but she could see it – somehow in those dark stormy eyes, there he was, as serious as he ever was. How he would handle it, she didn't know, but…but she knew he would. She trusted him.

"Okay," she whispers. Jon brings a hand to her back, rubbing it gently. She felt…at home, in a strange way. She had plenty of people that she felt safe around – Barristan, for example. He had always treated her kindly and protected her with a fierce determination. Jorah…for a time, had been that for her as well. Greyworm had proven to be a reliable general and she trusted her life with him.

But with Jon, she felt more than just trust. She felt comfort, like she didn't need to hide behind this façade of a strong queen that feared nothing. With him, she felt like she could _easily_ show her fears, and not feel judged for it, or insulted, or anything else. Maybe it was because it seemed he had been through a lot in his short time just as a leader here, but in his life as well, just like her. She didn't know.

"Are you feeling alright now?" he asks her gently.

Daenerys steps out of her thoughts, finally sinking back into reality as she looked at him. "Yeah, I'm…I'm feeling better. I think it was just…adrenaline. I didn't want to be found out, I suppose." She glances at the ground. "Sorry for sort of…barging in on…well, you."

Jon waves a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about me. Putting on a shirt isn't a big deal. Better it be you than Sam." When she raises an eyebrow at him, she instantly sees his eyes shift to embarrassment and he looks away, rubbing his neck. "I, uh…didn't mean it like that, just, well-"

"It's okay," she chuckles softly. "I get it…I didn't mind it being me either," she adds on a bit, seeing his cheeks turn dark red. By the gods, did she just… _flirt?_

Daenerys Targaryen never flirted with men. It was usually the other way around. But here she was. And she didn't mind it.

Jon clears his throat and stands, and she holds in a chuckle. It was funny to see the Lord Commander turn into a little boy at her comments. "Are you warm? Do you want something else?" he asks, and she could see him trying to change the subject. She only chuckles and nods as he grabs a blanket from the corner. "There we are."

He wraps it around her shoulders tightly, and the fur feels warm to the touch against her skin. She smiles at him. "Thank you, Jon…for understanding. All of this."

"You don't need to thank me. It's my job to protect you," he responds, taking her hand in his. "I'm not about to let Janos bloody Slynt be the person who gets you sent home. Trust me." He looks at the ground, but she could see the wheels in his head turning. He was coming up with a plan, and he was right – she _did_ trust it.

Instead, she decides to change the subject this time – all she wanted was to get away from the topic of their deal. Fuck their deal. She wanted to know about the _real_ Jon Snow. He was too kind for his own good. She wanted to make sure she remembered him when she left to go home.

"What was your childhood like, Jon?" she asks him softly.

He looks at her in surprise. "You…want to know about that?"

"I'm sorry, I…I just can't believe someone who grew up as a bastard can be so…I don't know the right word. Chivalrous? Kind? Brave? What man raised you to be this way? Was it truly Ned Stark?" she asks genuinely. "I've met so many bastards in my time and some are pure debauchery while others are okay…but you have been the best, in my eyes."

Jon rolls his eyes. "You flatter me," he mutters sarcastically.

"I'm serious," she chuckles lightly, looking up at him. "I mean it when I don't think I've ever met a man as young as you who actually…wants to _do_ something with the power he holds."

"What do you mean?" he asks curiously.

"Well, I mean…see, there are some men I have met while conquering the cities. Some along the lines of sellswords, others who were born into power…but a common trend I have seen is that many of them end up using only their power to benefit themselves. You, however, are given this role – and let's be honest, at _quite_ a young age – and you want to help the wildlings, your brother's most hated enemy because you hold the last say…that's something different that I've never seen."

Jon snorts a little lightly. "You've met some shit men, then." He glances at the ground. "I mean, I'm not a great one either, but I at least know good from wrong…to the bare minimum."

"Sometimes, that's all someone needs," Daenerys comments.

She sees him nod, and then he looks back to her. "I guess it was more…a need to put out." He glances back at the fire. She could see memories hidden deep within his eyes. "I was always looked down upon in general because of who I am, so that made the need to succeed in my father's eyes even more unattainable…I tried to work hard and prove myself but at a certain point, I found more value in coming here to the Wall rather than…wasting my days trying to be a lord when Lady Catelyn would never let me be one."

Daenerys nods quietly. "Well…I think she missed out," she says softly, and in the corner of her eye, she sees Jon smile lightly. "You had brothers, right?"

"I did…eldest was Robb. He had a kind soul but I felt he was better at me at everything – except for swords." He looks back at her. "I always knew I was better than him at it. Each time we sparred in private I would beat him…I always had to keep it to myself whenever Catelyn would watch. Bran was young when I left, but I remember him as an adventurer, honestly. He always used to climb the towers of Winterfell…we think it's the reason why he ended up falling and breaking his legs. Couldn't walk again after that."

"That's horrible," she whispers.

"It was…the more horrible part is that I don't know where either of them are." He looks back at the floor. "Last I heard, Bran was missing and Rickon was as well. They left when Theon bloody Greyjoy took over Winterfell with someone and I haven't heard anything since…I fear the worst." He looks back outside. "That's why Barristan saving Sansa is so important…because without here, I don't know if House Stark is going to survive. I just want her safe…everyone else has either died or vanished…she's at least the _one_ person I know of who is still alive."

"Even if you grew up differently?" Daenerys asks.

"Of course. Sansa was…a bit cruel, growing up. She was a copy of her mother, so she would regularly torment me as well, insult me, but I grew up with her. She's the last of the Starks right now that I know of. And she's been through so fucking much…so much that I couldn't do to help. I have to get her somewhere safe."

She could see the worry that laced his eyes the moment he said this, and Daenerys quietly reaches over and takes his hand in hers. "Barristan _will_ bring her back safely. I can promise you that. He has my full confidence that she will return to you."

Jon moves his gaze back to her and she sees him smile. "I hope you're right…but with how many enemies are always out there at every corner, who knows who your real friends are." He sighs as he looks back at her. "I'm sure my life sounds like a piece of cake to you considering what you grew up with."

Daenerys waves her hand dismissively. "No, honestly. I mean, I was on the run, yes. But just because someone grows up in a castle doesn't make it any different from someone out on the streets…it all depends on who your family truly is. You could be given all the riches in the world, but if you have no one to share it with, it's worth nothing. If you don't have a true family by your side, you can feel just as alone as I did while with my brother." She glances at the door. "I think that's why I've tried so hard to be with Aemon as much as I can here…because he _is_ my last family…the blood of my blood. I can't let him go."

"Blood of my blood," Jon mutters, causing her to look up at him in confusion.

"What is it?"

"No, I just…never heard that before," he answers honestly, turning to look at her. "Where is that from?"

"Oh, well…for a time I was with the Dothraki's. It's a saying the Khals – the leaders – would use to their bloodriders – basically the Dothraki's version of soldiers. But to me, it's…it's transgressed into something more. My family's entire saying has always been 'fire and blood,' and while I agree with that…I want to add more to it. Blood of my blood perfectly enraptures the last of the Targaryen's – we are all that we have. We are blood of each other…and it's why I have to make sure that Aemon stays alive as long as possible because I'm _terrified_ to be the last Targaryen in the world."

Daenerys didn't know where all of this was coming from, but it was spilling out. Maybe it was the adrenaline from nearly being caught or her fears that were boiling over, but they were here and they weren't stopping.

"I may act all…stoney and like I know everything as if I'm some confident person but I have so much riding on my shoulders…and I feel that one false move would end it all. All this hard work that I've put in. If Barristan hadn't saved me, I would be dead right now, and that not only terrifies me but makes me wary for the future. "I just…want to be the best version of myself that I can be and I know that I'm not…there yet."

It was quiet between the two of them, her eyes watching the flames twist and tangle around themselves as they burned the log of wood that was in the fireplace. After a moment, she felt Jon place his hand on her back again, the same rubbing pattern emerging. "It takes time to learn how to be a leader. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing," he answers honestly.

It makes her laugh. He laughs too.

"I'm serious. I was given this role. I didn't ask for it. But I did it because my brothers believed in me, so I want to make sure their faith isn't worthless. And yes, it's taking a lot of tolls on my head and my well-being because I don't know exactly what to do yet in certain situations, but I'm learning for them. And I think that's what it comes down to." She turns to look at him once more. "Learning how to be a better version of yourself, so your followers can have someone to believe in. That's how I've seen it…maybe that's how you could too." He shrugs and looks away. "Or I'm just speaking out of my arse, I don't know."

Daenerys snickers and shakes her head. "No, no…I like it. It makes sense." Her hand was still holding his, and she squeezes it gently before letting go. "Thank you…I needed that."

Jon nods and then glances towards the door. "I suppose you don't feel safe to sleep in your chambers tonight, do you?" After a moment, she slowly nods her head. As pathetic as that felt to admit, she knew it was the right call. "Alright…you can stay here but we need to make sure we're awake before anyone else. No one can see you come out of here." She nods, happy that he willingly offered. "You can have the bed; I'll take the floor."

"That's alright," she says softly, before clearing her throat. "I don't want you to sleep on the floor. I can go back to my ch-"

"Dany, if you don't feel safe, I'm not going to have you go back there," he answers, shaking his head.

She glances at the bed and bites her lip. "What if we, uh…shared the bed?" She sees him look at her in surprise and she instantly regrets even mentioning it, her skin burning red with embarrassment. "It wouldn't be anything sensual; I…I wanted to feel safe and I…I'm sorry, I'll just-"

"Wait." She sees him look to the bed before he walks over. "We can do that…that's fine. As long as you feel safe." He takes a seat on the bed and then lays down, head on the pillow. He outstretches one of his arms. "Come here."

Daenerys looks at him in surprise, and he only nods to her to come closer. She takes the moment and sinks down into the bed, and feels his arms wrap around her while he pulls the furs up against them. To any normal person instantly they would think this as strange – she had only known him for a couple of weeks, and now she was suddenly in his bed.

But for her, it didn't feel strange. In fact, she instantly found herself relaxing as soon as the furs were over her. Her head instantly rested against his chest. She could hear his heart beating and noticed how it seemed quicker than usual. "Is this okay?" he whispers to her.

She responds with her body curling against his own. "It's perfect, Jon…goodnight."

As her eyes close, and sleep somehow finds its way into her mind after a whirlwind of events that night, she hears him murmur back. "Goodnight, Dany."

* * *

_Jon_

Daenerys Targaryen was in his bed.

These were words that Jon never thought he would say. In fact, Jon never thought he'd have _any_ woman in his bed at the Wall, much less Daenerys _fucking_ Targaryen. And yet, here they were. And it was _really_ happening.

The sun had just risen. He could see it peeking through the curtains he had closed when she had entered his chambers the night prior. But he just…couldn't bring himself to wake her up. He had woken up a little bit ago, but there was just…something _stopping_ him altogether.

Daenerys had her eyes closed, her expression peaceful. Her hair was spread out, fanned across his chest, messy from sleeping. Her arms were secured against him, and their legs were tangled together. He was afraid that if he made one false move she would awaken. And he didn't want that because _fuck…_ who got to see this? Ever?

Jon didn't know who Daenerys had been with – that was her life and he wasn't about to be like those disgusting men who needed to know every single little thing about the women in their lives. But he could _assume_ because of her status, it wasn't a lot. She deserved someone powerful, someone who could give her the world from the palm of his hands, a lord that could help her gain the upper hand in this war she wanted to win, which meant there was no way he was in the running.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to appreciate the situation he was in right now.

He was almost entranced with the way she looked right now. He was so used to her analytical expression, where they would talk to each other about issues and she would give her best advice, and he would try and help her. He was used to the smiles she had when they would share dinner together occasionally, and the laughs that would follow.

But now, he felt like this was a different side. She felt almost normal at this point. She wasn't the Mother of Dragons, this all-powerful woman that he knew would do amazing things. No, right now, she was just a girl, sleeping away her stresses from the night before. She was just Daenerys.

And now that he had her in his arms, Jon really took the moment to see how fucking _stunning_ this woman was.

He had of course noticed her beauty – the moment he realized who she truly was, he was worried about if she could pass for a boy because of it and how glaring it usually was. But here, without the ash on her face or her hair pulled back, or any furs restricting them, she was absolutely _beautiful._

He wondered what it was like for anyone else she had been with, to wake up to her every day, to see this face that held so many memories deep within, so many experiences of a fighter…he wished he could stay here forever.

For a moment – just a _moment_ – he lets his mind imagine what life could have been like, if he wasn't here, if he was given a different life. And it was nice. Very nice.

He'd be a lord, maybe someone who was deserving of her love. By some off chance he might have met her, maybe they would have married based off their names. He'd fall asleep like this with her every night, and wake up like this every morning. He'd wake her up with a kiss. Maybe they'd do something, maybe they wouldn't, but he wouldn't care, because he would get to see _this._ A sight he would always keep in his mind.

But that wasn't real life. _This_ was real life. The sun rising along the Wall, and the crows croaking from outside. And she needed to leave.

He lets out a soft sigh and then decides to make his move, before moving a hand gently from her ensnarement and then brings it to her cheeks. For another second, he pauses, looking down at her. His fingers gently grace her cheek, feeling how soft her skin was, the complete opposite of what his fingers had become after years of fighting. His hand moves up to touch the scar that was hidden behind her hair on her forehead, examining it for a moment. If that man had hit her one more time she wouldn't be here.

He wished he could protect her when she went back to Meereen. Maybe find the man who had done this to her and beat him down a bit. But he would leave that up to Barristan.

Jon sighs and pushes away his thoughts before gently nudging her. "Dany, wake up," he whispers to her. She mutters in her sleep and turns away, brow furrowed. He feels himself chuckle slightly before leaning over towards her, moving her back towards the light. "You have to get out of here."

The woman grumbles and then slowly, her eyes open, the violet orbs connecting with his own, sleep evident in her eyes. When they realize who he was, a sleepy smile comes over her lips, one that made his heart flutter and his own smile come on his lips. Gods, what was it about this fucking woman?

"You woke me up from a fantastic dream," she mumbles, slowly leaning up as she stretches.

"Really," he chuckles. "What was it about?"

"Well, if I tell you, it won't come true," she quips, standing up and grabbing the furs that were on the floor, before turning back to him. "I suppose I should go, though." She bites her lip and then leans forward, hugging him tightly. He returns it with ease. "Thank you for letting me stay…I slept wonderfully."

"Good," he responds, pulling away a moment later. "I'm glad." Secretly, it was the best he had slept in a long time as well.

She pulls the furs over her quickly, and then puts her hair up, looking over to him. "You know what you're going to do with Slynt?" she asks, her voice collected and calm. Jon nods quietly. He had done _a lot_ of thinking while falling asleep last night. He knew what to do. Exactly what to do.

"Don't worry, Daenerys…just sit back and watch. I'll take care of it," he promises as she finishes up her buttons on her furs. "Stay in the back during today's meeting. Something is going to happen."

Her brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Do you trust me?" he asks her.

Daenerys was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

"Then follow what I say. You won't have to worry about Slynt soon."

Daenerys stares at him quietly for a moment before nodding, grabbing her furs. "Alright, then. I'll see you then." She goes to leave but stills, and then turns to look at him. He sees some sort of conflict in her eyes, but before he could ask what was wrong, she leans up and presses her lips against his cheek, the movement freezing him.

When she pulls away, she offers an almost shy smile before quickly leaving, closing the door behind her. He stood there, shell shocked for a second, until he shakes his head from his stupor, trying to keep his own grin to himself. And then, he remembers what he was doing today, and he pushes those happy feelings down.

He'd make sure she was safe. No matter what.

* * *

_Daenerys_

It seemed everything was going fine this morning.

She had shown up to the main meeting room, reading a book that Aemon had given her secretly while many of the other brothers talked. She could see Thorne and Slynt both eyeing her from where they stood, but she made sure to keep her own eyes down. The last thing she wanted was to bring more attention to herself.

She wondered if Slynt had told Thorne about his suspicions. She had an idea that he didn't due to them not confronting her, but one could never be too careful.

At a certain point, Jon did come in with Sam at his side and sat at the front table. She glances up at him and the two make eye contact before he looks back at a book in front of him. She looks back to hers, thinking of the _stupid_ move she had done this morning. She didn't know why she kissed his cheek.

No, no, she did. She very much did. Because she had woken up so happy to be in there. And she had meant it to him when she said it was one of the best nights of sleep she ever had. She didn't know where this feeling had come from, but what surprised her was that it didn't seem to scare her. She _wanted_ it to stay. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she would see down the road.

Jon began to speak after a little while, and she listened quietly to what he had to say, hearing him assign people to their own tasks. Some men were laughing at what he was saying, which made her smile a little. She hated hearing how some of the brothers despised him. It wasn't fair to everything he was trying to do.

"Ser Alliser," she hears him speak quietly. Thorne glances up from where he stood. "You have more experience than any other soldier here at Castle Black. You proved your valor many times over while defending the Wall from the wildling attack. I think this is long overdue. I name you First Ranger."

Many men begin to shout in approval at his statement. Thorne looked genuinely surprised. She could see Slynt patting his shoulder. Daenerys knew exactly what Jon was doing, however – she knew Thorne had seen them train and spend much more time together. Sooner or later he would try and do something to show that Jon had favoritism towards her. Jon was a step ahead and gave a noble Night's Watch title so as to keep Thorne off of their backs.

If just for a little bit.

"Lord Janos," Jon states, getting the man's attention. "I'm giving you command of Greyguard."

Oh, she was sending him away…Greyguard? Where was that?

She sees Slynt scoff. "Greygard is a ruin!" Ah. Somewhere _far_ away.

"Yes, the fort is in a sorry state, but we believe you can restore it to the best of your abilities. We can even spare some of our-"

"I was charged with the defense of King's Landing when you were soiling your swaddling clothes. Keep your ruin," the man snaps at him, shaking his head. Many men begin to talk loudly. Daenerys closes her book, this now entertaining her. What was Jon playing at?

Sam stands up, waving his hands. "Alright, enough of that!" he exclaims. The men begin to quiet down. Daenerys watches Jon quietly, seeing his stature straighten and his eyes pin down Slynt.

"You mistake me, my Lord. That was a _command,_ not an offer. Pack your arms and armor, say your farewells, and ride for Greyguard," he warns.

Slynt's eyes turn to daggers one more, standing up from where he was. "I will not go off to freeze and die!" he snaps angrily. "Why not give it to this bloody boy over here?" He gestures to where Daenerys was, who raises her brow. "Gods know you've been giving him enough personal training!"

"I've been giving Daryn his own training because I'm concerned one of you is going to cut him up to pieces before I have any say in it," Jon snaps. "If anyone else has any concerns about that, they can come directly to _me._ "

"You're so full of _shit!_ "

"Do you really want to do this Slynt? I won't give you your goodbyes if you continue on this path."

"Give this stupid task to one of the fools who cast a stone for you!" he snaps angrily. "I will not have it. Do you hear me, boy?! I will not have it!" Slynt was breathing heavily, not moving a single inch from his spot.

Jon now stands, and Daenerys sees a shift in his eyes. They were full of anger. "Are you refusing to obey my order?"

Slynt doesn't speak for a moment, but when the other brothers begin to mutter, turning to look at him, he turns his eyes right back to Jon. "You can stick your order up your bastard arse!" he hisses.

Many of the brothers begin to whisper. Daenerys sees Thorne look at Jon with a smug expression. She turns to see Jon, and there was a sudden difference in his stature. He was breathing heavily. There was something else he was planning. Something-

"Take Lord Janos outside," he commands, his voice low.

The brothers begin to move quickly as Janos scoffs. Jon turns to look at Daenerys, and she sees a slight shift in his eyes when he sees her, but it goes back to stoic a moment later.

"Daryn, get my sword."

Instantly she gets up, heading over to where his sword was as more and more men begin to gather around Janos. As she grabs it, she could see many of the men grab Janos and begin to drag him outside, with him yelling the whole entire time. She stares in shock at what was happening. Jon wasn't about to…was he?

She runs outside and sees the men gathering around the courtyard. There was a chopping block above them. She runs up and sees Jon sip from a goblet before he takes the sword from her. His hand brushes against her own as he grabs the sword into his own hands, before going to Janos' side, who was then forced down onto his knees, his head on the block. He was trembling now.

Jon unsheathes his sword, and Daenerys watches from afar as he holds it right above Janos' head.

"If you have any last words, my Lord, now is the time."

At this point, there were tears that were coming out of Slynt's eyes. "I was wrong! You're the Lord Commander. We all serve you. I'm sorry, not only for this but for all I've done and said. I was wrong!" Jon quickly brings his sword up. "My Lord, please, mercy!"

Jon hesitates, staring down at Janos, who was now sobbing.

"Mercy…I'll go! I will! Please, I'm afraid…I've always been afraid…I'll never harm any other recruit again and I'll go off, just please…mercy!"

Daenerys watches Jon carefully for a moment, her brow furrowed. For a second, she thought he might not do it. And then, within seconds, he raises his sword and brings it down hard, _clean_ across Janos' neck. His head tumbles onto the ground and his body grows limp as blood spews out.

Jon lowers his sword and then hands it to a brother nearby, before nodding to the other men. "Burn his body. Take this as a warning to anyone who questions my decisions."

The group quickly begins to disperse. Daenerys stares in shock as the body is taken away and the head is disposed of. She glances up to where Jon had gone and sees that he had disappeared. Her eyes then make contact with Thorne, who seemed shocked at the turn of events, but wasn't surprised. She quickly averts her eyes away before making a beeline inside, not wanting to deal with any of the other brothers.

But she knew that when night fell, and everyone was asleep, she was going to visit Jon again. This time, for a different reason.

* * *

When she arrived at his door, the castle was quiet with the snores of brothers and drunkards. But her mind was active with the need to see him. She had spent the day with Aemon and Olly – trying to polish some swords in the meantime while keeping an eye on the boy, just in case _he_ ended up having words about her – but now, it was time to confront him.

So, she knocks once, twice, three times. It takes a moment for him to respond. Soon, the door opens.

"May I come in?" she asks him softly.

He doesn't reply but he opens the door wider. She sees that his fireplace was running with orange and red flames that called to her. Gods, she missed her dragons. She also notices there was an empty goblet of wine. Had he been drinking?

She closes the door behind her, watching as he takes a seat in front of the fire, staring into it. She doesn't respond for a second but decides to after a moment.

"You know, you have everyone else fooled."

She hears him let out a bark of a laugh before he turns to look at her. "What are you talking about?"

"The execution today." She walks over to where he sat, before pulling up a seat next to him. "I must say, it took me some time to figure it out, but I think I finally realized why you did it."

"Dany, I told you-"

"Don't tell me you killed someone just to keep me safe, because I _know_ it wasn't just that, Jon. What Janos did to me wasn't worth his _death._ Yes, I knew he would be an issue, but I assumed what you were going to do was what you initially told him to do today – send him off to somewhere remote, where he can't tell anyone of his suspicions. But that's not exactly what happened, is it?"

Jon doesn't respond, before glancing back at the fire.

"No, it's not," she comments, looking to the flames as well. "How I saw it, you've been looking for a reason to kill him. All he's done is question your decisions, him and the rest of his boys. You just didn't know the right time or the right moment. You couldn't keep him around because it would make you look weak, but you couldn't kill him just yet because the brothers would revolt. You needed a perfect reason. Last night, when I came to you with what he said to me, that was your reason – a want to keep me safe, but you still needed that one little push. What would set off this man? And that was easy – sending a former highly regarded lord to a desolate place full of nothing."

She turns to look at him, seeing the reflection of the flames dance across his eyes.

"It was simple after that. He snapped and disobeyed your orders. That was the perfect moment for you to kill him, to end his disobeying orders, and to set an example for what might happen to other brothers if they dare disobey you like he did. To establish your dominance over them. I was just a catalyst."

He doesn't respond for a moment, but then, he turns to her, his brow raised in surprise. "You know far too much."

"I have to admit, you're a lot more clever than I thought you were," she muses. She sees him pick up his cup of wine but she snatches it from his hands. He glares at her in annoyance but she shakes his head. "I think you've drunk enough today, Jon."

He doesn't seem to fight back. He sighs and looks to the ground. "Am I a monster for doing that?"

" _No,_ " she reassures him gently, placing the cup down and reaching over. "Jon, you're a leader. People weren't taking you seriously. You _had_ to do something to show them that you're not to be messed with. That you are meant to be taken seriously. Yes, some of these men are your friends, but you are their Lord Commander first, and if they disobey what you have to say, there are prices that have to be paid."

He doesn't say a word. She bites her lip and speaks more.

"I once executed someone," she states, which causes his head to turn right back up. "I didn't swing the sword as you did, but I said the okay…his name was Mossador. He represented the freedmen of Meereen on my small council, but he deliberately went against my orders when I wanted to give a captured Harpy's Son a fair trial and killed him. I brought him out in front of a crowd and killed him as a warning that no matter who you were, a freed slave or a Great Master, no one should interrupt the course of justice."

"What happened after?" he asks quietly.

"Well, some of the people began to revolt," she speaks honestly. "But that's what happens with these things regarding regular people. You need to show that you are here to stay and that no one should question your decisions, regardless of who they are. With these men, it's a bit different than the freed slaves, but we are all human, and when you're put in a position of power, you must do _everything_ you can to make sure people don't take advantage of you in it. Ever. And you did that today. Do not feel guilty for wanting to get rid of a man who hated you and would never obey you."

Jon doesn't speak for a moment, looking back at the flames. Their hands still stayed intertwined. After a second of silence, he sighs and leans back in his chair, before his eyes turn to her. "I think I needed you here a long time ago. Don't know how I survived the first couple of months as Lord Commander."

Daenerys feels herself blush but she chuckles all the same. "Well, I'm here now. At least for the time being."

Jon was quiet, grabbing the cup off the floor where she put it. She didn't fight him on it. "I wish you weren't leaving."

She looks at him in surprise. "What?"

"I'm serious." He looks back at her and she sees a hint of fear in his eyes but was overwhelmed with seriousness as well. "I'm sorry if this sounds strange but I…you're going to think I'm an absolute loon."

"No, speak," she encourages softly. "Tell me."

"I…I know it hasn't been long. You've only been here a couple of weeks…but I feel… _different,_ I guess is the right word." He was struggling not to turn away. He was embarrassed to be telling her this, she could see it in his eyes. "You're like this…breath of fresh air compared to some of the other people here and I…I know you don't think you're doing a great job as a leader but I've learned more from you the last couple of weeks than I think I ever would have doing this by myself. You give off this…I don't know, dragon queen, fire will reign aura – don't laugh!" She was chuckling at his words and she shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, I've just never heard that before," she responds a moment later, letting her laughs fizzle down.

"I'm serious," he says softly, looking back to her. "I feel like I can…be a better version of myself around you. I actually _feel_ like a leader and I'm not just…fucking around and making it up as I go. Or maybe I am, I don't know at this point…I just know you've gotten under my skin, Dany. It's going to be a shame when you have to leave…that's all."

She feels her heart slightly break a little at his words. Truth be told, she had gotten used to the Lord Commander, too. "Well…if you wanted to come with me, you could."

Jon lets out a ghost of a laugh. "You can't be serious."

"I am." He looks up at her in surprise before he shakes his head, stepping away.

"Being Lord Commander is a life-long position – even being a brother is. I can't just step away from that."

"Ser Barristan was dismissed from the Kingsguard in King's Landing," Daenerys points out.

"Yes, and he hated that!"

"But you are _not_ Ser Barristan, are you?" She stands up as well this time, and when he tries to look away, she pulls his face right back to his, hand cupping his chin, making sure he didn't stray. "Ser Barristan is committed, yes. He came all the way to Essos to serve in my Queensguard so he could kick it to the Lannisters. But you are _not_ Barristan. I can see it in your eyes."

Jon sighs. "What do you mean-"

"You don't like this position." Her statement was blunt, cutting straight to the point. "You were put into this because your people believed in you, but you have so many brothers that undermine you that you're starting to wonder if it's really worth it. You're trying to think about the greater good and give life to the people beyond the Wall so they can avoid this _threat_ that you refuse to tell me about for some ungodly reason, but so many men here are focused on the past that they can't look forward to the future, and for the sake of humankind, and you're losing your patience. And so are they. Your talents and your empathy are being _wasted_ on these people, Jon."

He stares at her in silence for a second before he speaks. "That-that is ridi-"

"It's not, Jon. You and I are very alike. You may not show it but you want to be in a position of power where you can actually _help_ people and not let your brothers disobey your orders or question your decisions."

"And even if I wanted to – which I don't – who would dismiss me?" he almost laughs. "We're on the other end of the world."

" _I_ can. If I am going to be the future queen, I have the power to do so."

"Dany, that would _not_ go over well. The brothers don't even know you're here. And if they did find out I was dismissed by a queen somewhere across the sea, they'd wonder what inspired you to do so when you haven't supposedly met me – it would be a recipe for disaster."

"Then they'd answer to me."

Jon sighs. "Dany…"

"Look, I don't know the details of it, Jon, but I know you don't deserve to be here. Better than freezing here at the wall. I can give you the men that you need to save those wildlings. I can be of help to you." She reaches down and takes his hands in hers, looking up at him. " _I_ can give you a better life, with _me,_ in Meereen. And then after that, somewhere warm down South. You can have a home, a family, people who follow _you_ …don't you want that?"

His eyes were mixed. Usually, she could tell what he was feeling, but this time it seemed there were a thousand thoughts all combining together, and it was impossible to really tell. After a moment, however, he lets go of her hands and turns away, grabbing his cup from the floor again.

"It sounds nice," he comments softly, but then shakes his head. "But I can't. My duty is here…and it's going to be until I die."

Her shoulders drop. Disappointment flooded her. She glances at the ground and then grabs her coat from where she had dropped it earlier coming in. "Your duty is going to be the death of you," she mutters to him, causing him to look back at her. "I'm giving you something on a silver platter and you refuse…well, I hope you're happy up here at the Wall for the rest of your life, Jon Snow."

She leaves after that, not even giving him the opportunity to speak, closing the door behind her. As she walked back to her chambers as quickly as possible, she felt tears suddenly try to break free from her eyes, but she quickly wipes them away. No, she wouldn't fucking cry over some man. Not again. Not ever.

If Jon wanted to stay here, so be it. She had better things to do. Tomorrow she'd spend the day with Aemon and plan out what their next steps would be when she and Barristan arrived in Meereen again. She didn't need Jon.

* * *

But as Daenerys walked away, unaware of her surroundings, she didn't see the two small eyes that were watching her from the corner of a dark hallway, perplexed and confused, but cautious and wary. And little did she know, questions would soon begin to arise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who are the watchful eyes? We shall see soon
> 
> I personally feel that Jon (at least near the end of season five/six) that he ended up trying to be a little bit toooo much like his former family. I want to sort of give him a different arch in this where he finds his own path to success and doesn't listen to the brothers but that'll take some time so be patient with me haha but hey, Dany and him are growing closer so *wink wink* 
> 
> Don't expect another update for this for most likely a week, tbh. I have two other stories that I really have to update because I've been working on chapters for them for so long haha so if you want more of a fix of Jonerys, be sure to check those out - but don't worry, I'll definitely get the next chapter out as soon as possible! 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as they always inspire me to keep writing and putting out these chapters for you all. You have all been so amazing leaving your comments for me and letting me know your ideas and your thoughts and I seriously appreciate every single one of you - all of you are amazingly awesome! Make sure to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join us on our adventure and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have an amazing day! :)
> 
> Next up: Jon finally reveals the threat of the White Walkers to Daenerys, and the two of them come to an understanding before facing everyone's favorite ginger wildling together.


	5. The Fiery Redheaded Wildling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon reveals to Daenerys the threat beyond the Wall, but just when it seems they are on equal ground, he says something that sends them multiple steps back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the great response on the last chapter! I've been feeling REAL anxious these last couple of days (thanks America!) so writing has been my antidote! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as it starts to...really build up things between them. We start to get into the true threat :)

_Jon_

It was three days later when he finally found her.

Ever since their conversation in his chambers, and that he had openly said no to her idea for him to come to Meereen, Daenerys had been missing. Completely. He didn't see her in the mornings for training, didn't see her at dinner, not at the morning meetings either. He didn't even see her just walking around.

And whenever he would go to check on Aemon, poof. Gone. She wasn't even _there._

She had definitely visited her uncle, as the man himself had said each day that he just missed her. But each time he even went to her chambers, she was gone as well. It was starting to get to him. How was it that one woman was so undeniably _stubborn_ that because of an answer that he gave her, she decided to hide away?

But, sooner or later, he did finally find her. Somewhere he had not been expecting, but she was there. And that was right at the top of the Wall, leaning against a post, looking out into the world bright and early as the sun was coming up.

He had stared in shock at first. He hadn't brought her up here _once_ since she had arrived, but she had known how to get up? There must have been someone at the lift they had to pull her up because there was no way she would have been able to find her away around. But then, his shock had gone away, and his feet had carried her towards him before he could even stop himself.

When she finally saw him, she doesn't run away like he had expected her to, considering it was all that she had been doing the last couple of days. Instead, she turns her head to face him, and he sees a look of surprise appear in her eyes before she turns to look back at the rising sun.

"So you've finally found me?" she murmurs.

"After days of hiding," he bites back, to which she simply shrugs, glancing out into the distance. "Daenerys, you can't just _do that._ You're under _my_ protection and you-"

"I can protect myself, Jon."

"Well, clearly, you've been bloody sneaking around all day and night, how the fuck am I suppose to know?!" he snaps angrily. She doesn't look at him. Jon sighs and runs a hand through his hair. Snow was falling lightly on top of them. "Is this about what I said the other night?" he asks, this time his voice softer.

She doesn't respond to that. Instead, she leans back off the post, still looking out. "I had never seen the snow before I came here."

His brow furrows at her response. But he doesn't speak.

"For years, I always wondered what it would look like. Was it really that cold to the touch? Did it pile up into little mountains that could kill you if an avalanche started? Was the cold as dangerous as everyone says it was? But up here, everything looks so beautiful…it's a view that's hard to beat. And now, the snow doesn't look so bad. My thoughts that were in my mind aren't clouded anymore with the ideas of danger. Instead, all I see is happiness."

She turns to look over at him, arms crossed against her chest.

"That has been my view of Westeros for years. I've lived with this constant perception in my mind of how it could be. How the people might be towards me. The danger that might come when I arrive. But I always held out for hope because I wanted to help the people of Westeros. I wanted to restore it better than it has been for years. Westeros is just like the snow – I didn't know what it was like until I finally put myself in its shoes and stepped out to see it."

Daenerys turns her head to look at Jon, an expression of annoyance across her features, anger in her eyes.

"I'm willingly offering to help you – to step out of my comfort zone for the people of Westeros because _clearly,_ this is an issue that is going to effect everyone if you don't handle it, but you are regularly holding back from telling me for gods know _what_ reason. How am I supposed to help when you don't even trust me?!"

"Wha-Dany, I _do_ trust you, it's just-"

"Just what, hmm?" She steps away from the edge now, coming towards him. "What is it that's stopping you from telling me what is going _on?_ "

Jon sighs and lowers his hands, looking at her quietly. "So…you aren't upset about the-"

"By the _gods,_ Jon, I don't give a _shit._ " She looks over at him, her hair falling out of her braids at her aggravation. "Yes, at first, I was a tad upset because I don't think you belong here, and I'll continue to think that until I leave, and probably while I'm back in Meereen. But I understand that you have a duty, and you have a need to protect these people. I'm not going to take you away from that." She glances back out at the snow. "What I am upset about is that you don't trust me enough to even speak to me about what's going on. If this threat is as horrible as you say it is, don't you think telling a future ruler would be worth your time?"

Jon watches her quietly, her words filtering through his mind. She was right. She had always been right. Truth be told, as he had said before, the only reason he didn't tell her about the White Walkers was to protect her. If she was to be a future queen, she shouldn't be going around and throwing herself into battles that she didn't need to be in. But at the same time, he was only hurting her more by not telling her. She deserved to know. And he had been the fool for keeping that from her.

So, with a heavy sigh, he walks closer to her, taking her hand gently. The movement causes her to turn her head back to his. "Do you want me to tell you?"

"Have I not been saying that this whole time?" she asks him, her brow raised.

Jon rolls his eyes but nods, before pulling her away from the edge of the wall. "Alright, but just…keep your voice down. You're going to end up getting caught. We'll go to my chambers." As they walked towards the lift, he grabs her hood and puts it onto her head, securing it around her. "And don't go up here without me again…you could easily fall if the winds were picked up with how light you are."

He sees the young woman roll her eyes but she nods. "I just wanted to see the view."

Jon was quiet for a moment as the lift started to move. "It is a nice view, isn't it?" he murmurs.

"Truly."

* * *

When they arrived in his chambers, he locked the door the best he could, watching as Daenerys walked over to the fire that was lit. Ghost lifted his head the moment she did so, licking her hand when she started to scratch him with a smile on her lips. He walks over to where she was and sits down, shaking his head.

"You've turned my direwolf into a puppy," Jon comments.

Daenerys chuckles lightly. "I mean, that doesn't exactly sound like a bad thing." She stands again and takes a seat across from him once she was done, her hands intertwined with her own, her gaze focused on him. "Tell me what's happening. What is this threat?"

He didn't know where to start. Did she even hear about the tale of what had happened centuries ago? Maybe she had. Maybe she hadn't. But everyone needed to start somewhere at some point.

"Dany, have…have you ever heard of the White Walkers?"

Her brow furrows. "Is…that a figure of speech?"

Jon feels himself close his eyes. He didn't know how he was going to explain this to her. "No, it's not." He pulls the chair he was in a bit closer to her, trying to imagine how to tell her. "The White Walkers were tales that were told to kids in the North for a long time, usually to scare them, about these horrible creatures that wanted to kill everything and bring on this…new age of darkness. They controlled wights, who did their bidding for them and killed everything in sight…I don't know if all of this is true, yet, but I've…experienced one, and Sam has experienced them, and we've heard multiple reports from other people that they're…coming back. They are the threat that is North of the Wall."

Daenerys stares at him for a moment, her brow furrowed. "Al…alright. I'm not saying that…this sounds a bit out there but you… _need_ to explain more to me. When did you experience this?"

"A long time ago…my uncle had a scouting party because he was a First Ranger here, and they found two corpses of the members of it. They brought them back to the Wall and Sam himself said that it was strange because even though they had been dead for weeks, they hadn't…rotted. Not one bit. And then they attacked me and the older Lord Commander. I tried to kill it but every single fucking attack never hit…it took throwing a lantern at it and setting it on fire for both of them to die…we burned the bodies after that but what else…what kind of horrible _creature_ would be able to do that? And then Sam had an experience…"

"What was it?"

"He was beyond the Wall, and fog had started to build up, and he lost the rest of his travelers. He hid behind some rock to somehow stay safe but then…then he saw this gigantic army, being led by the White Walkers, and the same creatures I had killed before. They even had horses…wight horses, I guess would be the name but…it was like they commanded them completely. He was overrun and so were the men they brought out with him, so they ran. He was actually chased down by a wight but Ghost attacked him and the former Lord Commander set it on fire."

She was silent for a second, glancing at the ground. He could see the slight doubt in her eyes. He reaches over and grabs her hands, causing her to look up.

"Dany, if I didn't think it was a threat, I wouldn't have told you. If the dead are not handled, the whole entire country is going to _die._ "

"Just…give me a moment," she answers, swallowing. "From what I've heard…they aren't immune to fire?"

"As far as I can remember, no. Anytime we've been able to kill them, they've died by fire."

"Do you know if there's anything else that can harm them?"

"Actually…yes." He walks over to his desk and opens one of the drawers, before pulling out the dagger that has been on his mind for a while now. "This is dragonglass." He hands it to her and she takes it, examining it intensely. "When Sam was actually bringing Gilly here, they were attacked by a White Walker. He tried to kill it with his sword, but it shattered. When the creature was going to attack Gilly and her baby, he used this dagger that he found at the Fist of the First Men, and stabbed the White Walker with it. It turned to ice, and then shattered after, killing it."

"How…interesting," she murmurs, staring at the dagger. "We have this in abundance on Dragonstone, at least from what my brother has told me."

"You already…know about it?"

"Well, not much. I had no idea that it could be used for… _this._ I just knew that it was in the caves underneath the castle. I never got to experience it but my ancestors have. They used to use it for art pieces and things like that. Never a weapon." She lowers the dagger and turns to look at him. "There are no other weaknesses?"

"As far as we know, no."

Daenerys was quiet and bites her lip. "Well…once my armies retake Dragonstone, you can have as much of the glass as you want."

"Yo…you believe me? Just like that?"

Daenerys sighs and closes her eyes for a moment before opening them back to him. "I don't…believe, as you say. I've never experienced this. I didn't even know that this sort of…thing was possible. But I've experienced…many strange happenings in my life at this point. Things that should have killed me but didn't. Magic is real. We are just the fools that have to deal with it. And clearly, they are dangerous. And I want us to be safe. I trust you, and if you believe that this threat is real, I will trust it as well."

She takes the dagger and looks at it again before her eyes turn back to him.

"I can also see the fear in your eyes." At his surprised gaze, she continues. "You don't show fear that often. You tend to keep your guard up because you know that if, as a Lord Commander, you show fear, your brothers might see you as weak. But with this, I can see that you're terrified of what might happen. You want to get as many people as possible on your side and safe in the case that they do attack…hence why you want to bring the wildlings south of the Wall."

" _Exactly._ "

"It's a smart plan…do you remember how big their army was? The White Walkers, I mean."

"Sam would have a better estimate at that, but he said…hundreds of thousands."

"Seven hells," she mutters, shaking her head. She hands the dagger back to him and bites her lip, glancing at the window. "This is…a _very_ large threat." She swallows once more and looks back at him. "I…I don't know how much I can promise from here, Jon. I'm in a really bad position with my people and my dragons but…but I want you to know I'll support whatever it is that you need, regardless if others believe it or not."

He feels his shoulders drop in surprise. "I really was expecting a lot more pullback from you…thank you."

Daenerys shrugs a little lightly and sighs. "You don't need to thank me…again, I've seen things no one else has. _Dragons,_ that had been extinct for hundreds of years, were brought back under me. It's not that hard to believe something else has returned as well." She nods below them. "That wildling you have captured – Tormund, right?" He nods. "Glad I'm finally remembering everything – you need to talk with him. Soon."

"I will…I actually want you there."

Her brow furrows. "What? Why me?"

"Tormund is…a wild man. I used to have this trust and obviously now, I do not. He has his moments of clarity but I feel that with you there he'll be more…approachable. You're able to easily shut men up, from what I've seen here. I think having you down there with me would work well."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "At this point, I'm quite sure I'm going to be your second-in-command, Lord Commander," she jokes lightly.

Jon rolls his eyes and shrugs. "I can't help it if I have a queen here with me. Might as well take advantage of it while I can," he responds.

"And these wildlings…how do you plan to get them? Where exactly are they?"

"All I know is that they aren't on land. They're from the water. We'd have to sail there. Stannis lent me his ships."

Her brow raises high. " _Stannis Baratheon?_ Are you loyal to him?"

Jon sighs. "I'm not _loyal_ to anyone. I'm loyal to my brothers and trying to get these people to safety so we can somehow survive this threat. Stannis recognized the danger that the White Walkers gave and gave me his ships so I could get them here and build an army as long as I gave them back to him. That's it. It's only for them." He looks over at her, seeing the slight glance of distaste in her eyes. "Hey, if it means anything, I'd much rather see you on that throne than that old arse. I'm only agreeing with him for strategy."

Daenerys snorts, bringing a hand to her mouth at his comment, and when she pulls away she chuckles a bit, smiling. "Strategy indeed." She glances outside. "Well, we have some time before the morning meeting…we could go and speak with him now."

"…now?"

"Yes, why not?" She stands up and grabs her furs. "If we want to deal with this then we have to move quickly. There are lives at stake, Jon. Who knows when they might attack again?" She goes to open the door but he stops her, reaching out and grabbing her arm. She turns to him in confusion. "What is it?"

"Just…a lot of people are hard to believe with this. Thank you for…trusting me."

She shakes her head. "I already told you, you don't need to thank me, Jon. This is a matter of life or death. And I'd prefer to be on the life side. Now, come on." She pulls at his arm now this time, practically yanking him out of his chambers. He nearly stumbles on his own two feet at the queen's urgency.

* * *

It was dark. Cold. He always hated these places.

He was never the biggest fan of chaining people up. He had been on the other side of it and he had despised it. As much as he could, he would try and get something out of Tormund today. As best as possible.

When they walked in, Tormund turned his head up at the entrance. His eyes narrowed at Jon but slightly became larger at seeing Daenerys. He sits up a bit straighter. "See you already have another lady friend."

"It's not like that," Jon argues, already knowing Tormund would talk about it. Daenerys doesn't seem to let it affect her. All she does was stand near the door, looking at him.

Tormund lets out a ghost of a laugh. "Well, clearly she's important if you're bringing another damn woman into this."

Daenerys steps forward after that to where Tormund was chained. "Tormund, right? Tormund Giantsbane?" He seemed surprised that she knew his name, but he nods all the same. "My name is Daenerys Targaryen. I'm one of the few who are contesting to the Iron Throne down in the south. I hardly believe you know what that is."

"We don't follow yer folk. And if you expect me to-"

"I don't." Her answer was swift, to the point. "What Jon and I are here to ask of you isn't about thrones, or followers. It's about life or death. It's about what could happen to your people now that your leader is gone."

Tormund stares at her and then back at Jon, his eyes narrowed once more. "What is all this about?"

"Where are the rest of the free folk now?" Jon asks him. Tormund doesn't respond. "I know you told me they were far. We already have ships that Stannis left us when I told him what I wanted to do. I just need you to tell me where. Who leads them now?"

"They followed Mance," Tormund answers. "They won't follow anyone else."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "And as for yourself?"

Tormund snorts. "Hard to lead when you're in chains, little lady."

She doesn't make a remark at the name. She looks over at Jon, nodding at him to speak next. "What if I unchained you?"

Tormund laughs. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you are not my enemy. And I'm not yours."

"You sure seemed like my enemy when you were butchering my friends," Tormund snarls.

Jon lets out a low breath, trying to figure out what to say. "For thousands of years, the Night's Watch has sworn an oath to be the shield that guards the realms of men. And for thousands of years, we've fallen short of that oath. You all belong to the realms of men."

"And now everything is going to change?" Tormund chuckles, his brow raised.

"It will," Daenerys insists.

"Why now?" Tormund responds.

"Because it's not the same people leading," Daenerys replies. "Jon actually gives a shit about all of you. He's lived with all of you. He sees the value in your lives, as he should. He has half of his brothers on his back about this decision that he wants to do and yet he is still bringing it up to you because he wants your people to stay alive. Don't you want to save them? All of the innocent people? The women and the children? The elderly?"

Tormund looks at her quietly, seeing her insistence. He turns back to Jon, leaning back in his seat. "And what would you have me do, Lord Commander?" he mocks.

Jon exhales and stands, looking at him. "You'd go North of the Wall. You'd bring back the remaining free folk, wherever they are, and bring them here. I'd open the gates and let them through, and find lands from them to settle in south of the Wall."

"They won't kneel for you, and neither will I," Tormund snaps. "Not for you or this…queen over here, if she says what she says."

"I have no interest in you kneeling for me," Daenerys points out. "I recognize that what is North of the Wall is free territory. That has never been considered a part of the Seven Kingdoms. Jon isn't expecting it either."

"I want them and yourself to fight with us when the time comes," Jon answers.

"The day I ask my people to fight with the crows is the day they will cut my insides out and feed them to myself."

"The innocent lives that Daenerys mentioned are going to die because of _your_ pride," Jon snaps. "You're condemning them to death! Worse than death, because you're far too proud to make peace for their safety. Maybe you're not proud. Maybe you're just a coward."

He sees Dany's brow raise at that comment but she doesn't respond. Instead, she steps back as Tormund steps forward, a glare across his face.

"Easy thing to say to a man in chains," he hisses.

Jon lets out a deep breath before reaching forward, and then quickly unchains the wildling. He stares at Jon in shock as he feels his hands, free of the iron that had surrounded them not too long ago.

"Daenerys is here on official business," Jon states to him. "It is my job to protect her and keep her safe. If didn't trust your judgment or who you were, I would have never unchained you in front of her. We _need_ you, Tormund. Your people _need_ you."

Tormund doesn't respond, still looking at him a bit skeptically.

"Your people need a leader," Daenerys comments from the side, where Tormund turns his head to look at him. "I've never met them, but I even know now of the threat that lays beyond the Wall. And they need help to get South of the Wall before it's too late. There isn't much time before they strike, and they are going to get hurt far quicker than any of us will."

"They'll hit your people first," Jon states, and Tormund turns back to him. "I'm not asking you to make peace to save yourself. I'm asking you for the sake of your people."

Tormund looks between the two of them again before he finally speaks. "…most of them are at Hardhome. You know where that is?"

Jon nods. "Up on Storrhold's Point. We have the ships to get there, probably within a week. Bring them all back here."

Tormund nods but doesn't yield. "Alright…you're coming with me." He looks to Daenerys. "Both of you."

Jon's eyes widen. "Daenerys is _not_ going to be coming," he instantly states. "There is no bloody way in this world she is going to be coming with us where she could _easily_ get killed! I won't allow it!"

"I think I can speak for myself, thank you," Daenerys responds, a tinge of anger in her voice. And when he turns to see her, he sees the irritation in her eyes, and feels his shoulders drop. Gods damn it, he fucked up again. 

"Yeah, let 'er go," Tormund chuckles, interrupting Jon's thoughts, before crossing his arms against his chest. "She wants to help us. She's on your side. If they hear it from her, someone who barely even knows the Night's Watch, they might believe ya better." He points at him. "But you're the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. They need to hear it from you as well. They need to know the ships they board won't be destroyed in the middle of the sea. You come with me, or I don't go."

Jon doesn't respond for a moment. He looks over at Daenerys, who was quiet. "I will go…I'll have to speak to the rest of my people about it, but I will. She…that is her decision."

He prayed at that moment. For the first time in a while. To all the old gods and the new that she would say no. That she would stay here with her uncle. Stay here where it was safe, where she wouldn't be at risk of getting hurt from them.

But, she turns to Tormund and nods. "I'll go as well."

He feels his shoulders drop, but doesn't respond. Tormund nods at this as she turns to leave, closing the door behind her. Jon doesn't try to stop her. He had a feeling she'd be upset about his outright denial of her coming. He had bigger issues to worry about.

Tormund glances at him and then at the door. "She seems to be a fiery one."

Jon snorts a bit. "Yeah…that she is."

* * *

Talking it over with the brothers had gone about as well as Jon had expected.

Most were still against what he thought, denied to make peace. He tried to paint it the best way he could so that they could see it would be peace for a different reason, so they had them on their side and they could be safe. But so many fought him back that at a certain point he had said what he said was final, and that was that. The men who would volunteer to come would come.

And when he went back to his chambers and sat at his desk, he put his head in his hands. Why was it that no one understood? How was it that the one person that was from another fucking _country_ knew the threat at hand, and even Tormund was willing to somehow make peace, but his brothers could not?

There was a knock on the door, and he sighs. "Come in."

The door opens to reveal Olly, who had gotten him a plate of food. He hadn't seen Daenerys since their meeting with Tormund – she was no doubt with her uncle again, most likely avoiding him. Every time he talked to her he always felt like he fucked it up more.

"Thank you, Olly," Jon states. The boy nods once before turning, beginning to walk away. "Olly." He stills. "If you have something to say to me, say it. It's alright."

Olly turns to him, and he sees a look of pain appear on his face. "You don't mean it, do you? Telling the wildings you want to make peace…you're just doing it to trick them."

"It's not a trick." Jon stands up from his desk. "I do plan to do more with them than I previously thought to keep them in line, but I want to make peace. We need their help."

"They burned my village," the boy argues. "They put an arrow through my father's head and made me watch. They butchered my mother, everyone I ever knew. How could you support monsters like that?"

Jon keeps his composure. "I know what it's like to lose the people you love. I know this is hard for you. It's going to be hard for everyone. But winter is coming and you, me, and the rest of us all know the threat that is bound to come with it. And we can't face it alone. We need them on our side."

Olly glances at the ground and then bites his lip. "I know, you know."

Jon's brow furrows. "What are you talking about?"

"About Daryn…or whoever _she_ is."

Jon feels his body turn cold and fear instantly enters him. His hands grip the edge of his desk so hard that he feels his knuckles begin to turn white. "Olly-"

"I haven't told anyone if that's what you're worried about," Olly mutters, which eases Jon's tensions quite a bit. "…who is she? Some whore from Moles Town?"

"Watch your mouth," Jon snaps at him, to which Olly turns his head away. He feels himself sigh as he quietly walks over to the boy, making sure the door was closed before kneeling down to his height. "When did you see this? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Only a couple of nights ago," Olly admits. "I couldn't sleep so I walked around for a bit. She came out looking angry…I didn't know what happened but I knew it was a woman. She's been hiding her identity by dressing young, like me."

Jon nods before speaking, trying to make sure he approached this as carefully as possible. "Who she is…is of no matter to you. She is my responsibility and mine alone. She is only going to be here for a couple more weeks and then she will be gone."

Olly looks at him quietly. "So she's not your steward?"

"She's acting like one, for the time being, just to stay hidden and as far away from the dangerous brothers here as possible."

"Did you kill Slynt because of her?"

"I killed Slynt because he was in constant defiance of my actions. No one can stay here for that long if they constantly go against me," Jon answers instantly. "It has nothing to do with her. But what _does_ matter is that you keep this a secret between you and me, or if you tell the rest of the brothers, we are going to have problems, Olly."

The boy looks at him in surprise, sensing the threat in his voice, but Jon wasn't kidding around. He made a promise to Barristan that he would keep Daenerys safe, and he wasn't about to let that go to shit just because his steward found out about it. So, after a moment, the boy nods and bites his lip.

"I won't tell your secret. I promise." He glances away. "Is there anything else you need me for, Lord Commander?"

Jon shakes his head. "No…that will be all." Olly nods and goes to leave. Jon grabs his arm. "Hey." The boy looks up. "I'm still on your side. Just because I'm thinking of the future doesn't mean I don't have plans for them. It doesn't mean everything is going to be great. We are doing this for the sake of the living – we _have_ to. And she agrees."

He sees a bit of a spark in his eyes at the mention of her, but he doesn't say anything. "I'll follow what you say, Lord Commander," he says easily before letting go of his arm, turning towards the door. Jon watches him leave with a heavy heart, as the door closed. He stands back up and runs his hands through his hair.

So now _Olly_ knew about them, which wasn't as big of a deal as Slynt – he was just a boy. But it was something he knew he'd have to tell Daenerys, as soon as possible. Now…if only he could find her, for fuck's sake.

* * *

_Daenerys_

"I feel like he constantly undermines me!" she snaps. "He shows me that he trusts me with this information but then completely speaks for what I wanted in front of this...man we are _trying_ to convince for his people's help. How does that make me look?!"

It was funny, how speaking to a blind, old man had gotten out her frustrations, but talking to her uncle had been exactly what she needed the moment Jon had instantly spoken for her in front of Tormund. It wasn't like she knew where Hardhome was and she had been dead set on going, but if Tormund wanted her to go and it was a chance at peace, she was sure as _hell_ going to go.

But of course, Jon and his bloody savior complex had to stop her. And she _hated_ that. She was a grown woman who could handle herself. She had gone it for years and despite having some setbacks, she was still capable of doing so. And it had gotten to her. They had made such great process before at the top of the Wall but then he had done _that._

However, her uncle listened intently as she ranted. And then, when she had let out a long sigh once her tirade was done, she spoke softly.

"I feel like…we always take two steps forward and then one step back. I want him to trust me if I'm going to be ruling the country one day, but each time I feel like he does, he pulls another 'I must keep you safe from everything so you can't do _anything._ ' And he knows I hate feeling powerless. It's the reason why I agreed to him training me."

Her uncle was quiet for a moment before he hmms. "It sounds like you want Jon to accept you far more than any other man I've heard about from you."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when you told me about Drogo, it seemed you didn't care that he accepted you – you wanted to show him that you weren't weak, but at the end of it all, you ended up coming out on top. With this…what's his name, Daario? Yes, that man. It seems you didn't care about his acceptance either – he wanted to serve you and you used him for your own pleasure – I don't blame you if that's what you expect me to say. People do get lonely. Even the men of the Night's Watch break their oath now and then."

"Then…what is it that you are implying?"

"What I'm implying is that I think you have found someone whom you feel can match you. Equally. And you want him to see you as his equal and not just someone who is assigned to protect you."

Daenerys sighs and nods quietly. "I suppose that is true, yes."

"I also feel that you might hold other _feelings_ for him."

" _What?_ " Daenerys instantly responds. The statement causes her to drop the biscuit she had been eating, picking it up a moment later. "I – it's not like that, at all! I'm meant to look after these people at some point and I need to gain their trust and-"

"I didn't know gaining trust meant sleeping in the same bed together," Aemon quips.

Daenerys feels her cheeks turn red. She knew it was a mistake telling him that. "It was a bad night…I needed someone by my side. That's all."

"Hmm…well, if we're denying _that_ part of your head, and we're focusing on your leading part, I'd say just have a conversation with him. An honest one. Jon isn't that hard to convince about these things because he tends to give everyone a chance. And I'm sure that if you talk with him about the way that you feel, you can come to a compromise. While the idea of you going off to that place scares me, I know that it's who you are. You want to save these people. You say that Jon is overprotective, but you are the one who purposefully freed thousands of slaves. The two of you are more alike than you know. Trust him. All he wants is to protect you and keep his promise. Talk with him. Speak about how you feel."

Daenerys was quiet, moving her biscuit between her fingers every couple of seconds, letting out a soft sigh. "Yes…I think that's what I need to do." She glances back at him, biting her lip. "Didn't Jon already break his vows for a girl before? Ygritte, right?"

"He's told you about her?" he asks.

She nods quietly a second later, speaking, "Yes."

"He was heartbroken after her death…he didn't betray his vows specifically for her, but it just…happened. He came back and fought against her. Held her in his arms as she died…I don't blame him for wanting to help the wildlings after he got to know one personally."

"What would happen if he…did that again?" she asks, her curiosity getting the better of her. "If he just…left?"

"Well, he'd be wanted for treason," Aemon explains quietly. "Anyone who leaves the Watch is usually executed. The only reason Jon was not was because he had many supporters behind him who wanted him to stay alive. If he left again…they might not feel the same way. Many already don't because of his decisions with the wildlings."

"And what if he was…let go? By a king or a queen?"

"Are you proposing _you_ let him go, Daenerys?" She doesn't respond. "You really aren't good at hiding your feelings for him, my dear."

" _There are no feelings!_ " she insists before taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I believe Jon isn't reaching his potential here, and with the brothers constantly on his back, he's never going to get the support that he needs to save the wildlings! The moment he brings them back – or I suppose we – there are _going_ to be uprisings. I can feel it. If I dismissed him…maybe he'd be given a shot at numbers. Or something. I could maybe even give him some of my men and-"

"Slow down," Aemon responds after a moment, to which she stops rambling and lets him speak. "If you were to do that, at least right now, it wouldn't go over well. While he'd be dismissed from the Night's Watch, many people South of the Wall would find that dishonorable and think that he wasn't worth their time. He is and always will be considered a bastard in their eyes, no matter what they do. Him staying in this position of leadership is the best bet he has at gaining people's support against the Others…because if not, we are all doomed."

He reaches out and takes her hand blindly, the grip a bit tighter than before.

"Listen to me when I say this, my dear. Jon isn't a dumb man. He knows what he is doing. I trust in his decisions, as should you. If he feels that he should leave, trust that. If he feels he should stay, trust that as well…all he is trying to do right now is protect you and protect the realm – two very hard tasks that need support. And no matter what path he chooses in the end, that is the path we must follow."

Daenerys doesn't respond for a moment, before letting out a soft sigh once more. "Alright," she whispers, nodding her head. "I'll do that."

Aemon was quiet for a moment. "You're going to miss him when you go back to Meereen, aren't you?"

She sighs again. "Yes…I am."

* * *

She arrives at her chambers later in the evening after grabbing some soup from down below. Her uncle had given her the advice and the counseling she had needed, and all she wanted to do was let go of her stress inside and go to sleep. Probably speak with Jon tomorrow.

But she couldn't get _that_ word out of her mind. ' _Feelings,'_ as Aemon had said.

She didn't…have feelings for him. Sure, she thought he was handsome – most definitely the most handsome out of everyone here at the Wall…and probably since she had started building an army, but at the same time, she knew it was stupid to grow attached to him in _that_ way. He was a protector, someone who was meant to lead. Those sorts of things shouldn't happen.

And yet…she stayed awake at night occasionally, wondering what it would be like to have him there like it had been that one night together. If it kept happening over and over. But that was a stupid dream. A dream of a little girl. She wasn't a child anymore. She was going to be a queen, a woman who would take back that throne through fire and blood. And she couldn't let her mind be clouded by wishes of a future that could never happen.

But at the same time, she knew she would wish he would be at her side. Forever she would think he didn't belong here. She heard what some of these brothers said about him, _especially_ Thorne. If Jon had heard what he said to his face, Thorne wouldn't be alive right now.

As she undoes her braids and stares at herself in the mirror, she starts to see the scars really begin to stand out on her skin. What would Barristan think when he arrived back? And she had scars all over her body? She'd have to defend Jon to her dying breath. The memories they had shared…she wished they had more time.

"Seven hells," she mutters to herself after a moment, her head in her hands. "Go to sleep. You're overthinking everything."

She heads her own advice and stands, taking off her furs and putting on her nightgown that Jon had provided here – apparently it was just a very large tunic from a fat man that had been here once. It worked, so she didn't quite care that much. After that, she lit the fire and grabbed a sketchbook that Barristan had left her when he went away, where she had been writing down everything that Aemon had been saying to her since arriving. Every little piece of advice or counseling, so that way she would never forget.

But, there was a knock at the door that paused her from her thoughts. At this hour in the night, she thought everyone would be asleep. But as she quickly closed her book and ran to the peephole to see who it was, she felt her heart start to quicken as fast as a running wolf. She swallows and quietly opens the door, coming face to face with stormy grey eyes and messy hair. It was Jon.

"We need to talk." It wasn't a statement. It was a command.

She doesn't respond. Instead, she steps aside and lets him in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I love my cliffhangers ;)
> 
> Sorry for that ya'll lol but that's just how I do haha but I promise next chapter will be up soon -even I can't stand them cliffhangers too so I have to write to continue it XD and also ugh I love Tormund. I'm going to write so much Tormund in this. I miss him so much!! He was such a sweet and wild bean lmfao I hope ya'll are ready for all of our favorite ginger wildling! 
> 
> Please let me know what you think in the comments, as they always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for all of you. Your response has been freaking amazing thus far and I'm so happy you all are enjoying this story! I'm definitely leaning so much more towards book Jon/Dany in this thanks to all of you so please, keep letting me know what you think so we can make this story even better - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join us on our little story and I will see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! 
> 
> Next up: Jon and Dany have a serious conversation, Aemon speaks with Sam about something important, and the travel to Hardhome begins.


	6. Conversations by the Firelight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Daenerys talk - a lot. And once they leave for Hardhome with Tormund and a couple of others, Sam makes a discovery about everyone's favorite Maester - and what he has been thinking about for years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I still can't believe the amount of feedback this story is getting. Thank you all so much for being so amazingly awesome with this and telling me how you feel - you really all do mean the absolute world to me, so thank you! 
> 
> Bit of a late-night update but I couldn't wait until the morning to give this to you! This chapter is fluff - so much fluff you might get sick of it, but hey, I love writing about these two beans, so I hope you all enjoy :)

_Jon_

How was it that no matter what, Daenerys still always found a way to look beautiful?

Even now as he walked in, he felt his eyes glance over her. The way she moved in the night attire he had given her. How her violet eyes seemed to sparkle against the flames of the fireplace. The way her hair loose hair fell against her back when it wasn't in her braids. A part of him longed to run his fingers through it.

But he pushed those thoughts away and felt himself sit down at her bed. She walked over to him, taking a seat next to him. Jon lets out a low breath and starts to speak.

"I…apologize for the way I've been treating you." He glances at the ground. "I've come to realize a couple of things about myself these last couple of weeks because of you…and I guess a big reason I've been turning you away."

He turns to look back at her.

"For a long time, I've always felt that I've been…by myself, here. I grew up differently than many of these people and trying to find a connection with them has been hard. As you can see, a lot of them don't trust me and probably never will…for that reason, I've always kept who I felt I _could_ trust small because anyone could betray your trust at any minute."

He glances away again, sighing.

"However, when I met you, that seemed to sort of…disappear, a bit." He looks back to her curious eyes. "Of course when I first met you I was wary, as anyone would be, but you started to…prove how capable you are. How you have this spirit that can't be torn apart and how no matter what, you always seem to try and think on the positive side of everything. You believed me when I told you about what I saw…do you know how many people I've told who said that's fucking ridiculous? That it's impossible? People I've known for _years._ And yet this one woman, who I've met not that long ago, believes me…and that means _a lot_ to me."

Jon turns his gaze back away, his hands resting on his legs, trying to find the right words.

"I know that I was tasked from Barristan to keep you safe, and I intend to do so. That's been my main goal since the moment he left. But the main reason why I didn't want you to go to Hardhome – and why I've kept you away from others in general – is because I _genuinely_ care about you, Dany…you're the first person in gods know how long that actually trusted what I had to say and wanted others to support it. You even helped me convince Tormund to bring peace – do you know what would have happened if someone else was there? They probably would have tried to strangle him."

He bites his lip and looks over at the fire, before bringing a hand up to his neck, rubbing it slightly.

"I've also started to notice that certain… _feelings_ have risen that a Lord Commander shouldn't be having," he mutters, not even bothering to look to see her reaction. He could almost feel his cheeks turning as ripe as tomatoes. "It's not…anything to be concerned about on your end. Just that I care more for you than I have about anyone else here for a _long_ time." He looks back at her, swallowing his pride. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you…if you want to go to Hardhome, that's your decision. You're a grown woman and I'm not going to stop you from doing what you want. You're going to be a queen…but I needed to get my peace out there."

He sees her expression change multiple times from confusion to perplexion to something else, and then her small hands come up and take his own. "I understand where you're coming from," she says softly. Her voice was so sweet when it wasn't lowered for the other brothers. "I've been worried about you lately."

Jon snorts and shakes his head. "You shouldn't be. I'm of no concern to you."

"But you _are,_ " she insists. "If we are going to be working together in the future, whether that be me as a queen and you up here, you _are_ of concern to me. And not just that, but I _know_ what you're saying is true. Some of these brothers hate you…and that scares me because I don't know what they'll do to you when I'm gone."

"I can handle them," he responds.

"Even so…I want to make sure that you'll be taken care of when I'm…you know, away. But that's not the point." She looks down at the furs beneath them. "I know that you care about me, and I care about you. But…you _do_ need to let me just…help." She looks back up at him, brow furrowed. "I want to be there for you. I want to stand by your side when the rest of those arseholes start to berate you for your decisions and defend you. I want to show you that I'm someone to rely on, and not some princess who needs to be locked away in a tower to keep her safe…isn't that why you've been training me?"

"…I have."

"And I've gotten pretty damn good, have I not?"

Jon rolls his eyes. "Don't push it. You have a long way to go."

"Even so," she chuckles lightly. "I'm still constantly doing all of these so I can show you I'm worthy of being at your side. And when you say things like that and don't even let me _speak_ for myself, it gets to me. I'm supposed to be a queen but when you do that….it makes me feel like my opinion is worthless."

"I know…and I'm sorry." He sighs and glances back at her. "I'm only nervous about what the free folk might…think of you, that's all."

"Well, we'll figure that out together." She smiles up at him, and only then does he realize how full they are, the pastel pink that filled them blending in with her skin. "We've been doing that thus far with this. Why stop now?"

He chuckles a bit, forcing his gaze away. "I suppose…yeah." He needed to rip the bandage off. "Someone, uh…also knows about you not being a man."

" _What?!"_ she instantly whispers fiercely. " _Who?!"_

Jon sighs and looks back at her once more. "It's Olly. He doesn't know who you are but he knows you're not a man…apparently he saw you a couple of nights ago sneaking back to your chambers without your braids after we had that conversation."

He sees her shoulders drop and a silent curse comes from her lips. "Fuck," she mutters, running her hands through her hair. "I knew at some point _someone_ would see but I don't know how to feel about that." She looks back at him. "Did you swear him to secrecy?"

"I did. He knows what will happen if he tells anyone…he came to talk to me about the wildlings. The poor boy…he's lost a lot." Jon glances away. "He lost his whole family because of the wildlings. They killed him just like that…and when I see his face and hear what he went through, it makes me feel bad for bringing them here, but at the end of the day, I _know_ it's what we have to do…I just wish I didn't feel this guilt while doing it."

Daenerys nods quietly. "Well…I could say the same thing about the Dothraki." He turns to look at her and she nods. "I…don't think I ever really told you about my time with them. It was a while ago, but most people know that the Dothraki are fierce warriors. Their whole culture is focused on training, killing, and winning wars…they're known to be vicious, and people are terrified of them for good reason. But then there are the innocents within that group. The children who don't know any better. The women who cook and serve and make sure that everything runs smoothly. The elder people who have lived their lives and want to let other people handle the issues that they have…those were the people I talked to constantly when I was their Khaleesi. Those were the ones I fought for. And if I somehow stumble upon the Dothraki again, I'll gladly do it once more."

Jon was quiet for a moment. "Khaleesi?" he asks softly. "What does that mean? 'Queen' in Dothraki?"

"Yes, actually."

"So you were the queen of the Dothraki?"

He sees a shift in her eyes and she sighs lightly, looking away. "For a time, yes. My brother married me off to Khal Drogo in exchange for an army. At first, it was…not a happy marriage. Whatsoever. I had absolutely no idea how to make him happy because I didn't know the language at first, and sexually I…didn't know a thing. The Dothraki _love_ having sex almost as much as they love fighting."

"Sounds like the Dornish," Jon muses.

Daenerys chuckles. "Yeah, they do…except with a lot less class." She glances back at the fire and he sees her smile lightly. "But over time, I decided I was going to embrace the role I was given. I learned the language, learned how to pleasure my husband, and started to make my voice known to him. Soon, he began to trust me and I began to trust him…I have a feeling that if he had lived, he would have taken over all of Westeros for me…I was even pregnant with his child…but I lost it."

"…I'm sorry," he manages. He had never known how to talk to people about that.

However, she waves her hand dismissively. "Don't apologize. It was never your fault, was it?" She sighs and glances away. "No…it was my fault. Drogo was dying because of an infected wound and I was desperate to save him, so I got aid from a woman I rescued in a raid. She used blood magic against me…my son was taken from me, but even though his life was gone, Drogo was reduced to an unresponsive being. It was like there was nothing but a shell. The body was breathing but he wasn't there…I couldn't let him suffer."

She doesn't need to say more than that. He could see it was a tough situation for her to talk about.

"What happened after?" he instead asks.

Daenerys sighs. "I…pushed forward. Many Dothraki left after their Khal was killed – it was seen as a symbol of weakness. But some stayed with me by my side. And when my dragons were born, they followed me…so many of them have died, all for my cause. If you want to talk about feeling bad for your followers, I feel the worst…but I know it's because they care for me and believe in me that they'd willingly risk their lives. And I have to keep reminding myself of that."

Daenerys turns back to him and he sees another light smile grace her lips.

"All of that has led me here, so…not too much to complain about."

He smiles at her words but glances back at the fire, letting out a soft sigh. "Well…in my opinion, I think you're doing a fantastic job with or without him."

Daenerys snorts. "You've only known me as a disguise here. You've never seen my rule."

"I don't need to see something to believe it. It's called having faith." He looks back at her. "And I can tell from how you react that you're a great queen." She smiles at his words. "Have any interesting Dothraki phrases to teach me?"

That has her laugh again. "Why would you want to learn Dothraki?"

"Think it would impress all the women down in Moles Town," he jokes, which makes her snicker. "In all seriousness, I've never heard Dothraki spoken. I think I'm just curious to see it."

He sees a certain spark in her eyes the moment he said that. He had a feeling that she didn't get asked that quite often. She pushes her hair away from her eyes and looks at him head-on. "Okay, um…qoy anni qoy." His brow furrows at her words, which makes her giggle. "Repeat it," she adds on.

"Uh…qoy anni qoy," he attempts, but at the same time, it did _not_ sound as smooth as she said it. He could feel his cheeks turn red at her laugh, but it was a sound that he welcomed.

"Don't speak so brash – forget about your Northern accent for a second."

"I don't have an accent!"

"Oh, yes you do," she snickers. "Repeat again – qoy anni qoy."

Jon sighs and tries to sound it out like her, repeating again. "Qoy…anni qoy." His brow furrows when he says it. She was right. It didn't sound the same when he tried to say it differently. "Seven hells," he mutters. "Have I always sounded like that?"

Daenerys chuckles. "When you're trying to speak another language you have to let go of how you normally speak. I had to when I learned. Maybe we can do that with you." She stands and heads over to the fireplace, making the flames brighter by using one of the sticks. "Seems that _you_ have a long way to go in learning the language."

He smirks a bit at her statement and then shrugs. "Well fine, I'll teach you how to fight still if you keep teaching me the language. Soon enough I'll be better than you," he quips.

"Is that a challenge?" she asks, her brow raised.

"Bet your arse it is."

She drops her stick and crosses her arms against her chest. "Fine then. I accept your challenge. I'll see you tomorrow for training then, _Snow,_ " she responds, her eyes narrowed playfully. He chuckles and stands, walking to the door. Before he leaves, however, she reaches out and takes his hand in hers. "And Jon?"

He looks back down at her and sees that the playfulness from before was gone, replaced with a sweet look that made his insides warm all over.

"Thank you for being honest with me," she says softly. "A lot of people often…hold their truths from me. It was one of the reasons why I had to dismiss someone from my court…I really appreciate it."

He smiles at her words, something he felt he was doing so often with her lately, before squeezing her hand. "Of course, Dany. Trust can't be built off of lies."

He sees a flash of _something_ in her eyes, a memory that was long lost that he couldn't tell, but it was gone in seconds, replaced with that sweet look once more. "Exactly…goodnight."

She lets go of his hand and he steps out the door. "Goodnight, Dany." She closes it after a moment and he stands still for a second, before glancing down the hallway. Then, with a smile for the first time that day, he heads back to his chambers.

* * *

The next week goes by without issue.

Jon had been training Daenerys each morning as usual, but afterward, she stuck true to their little agreement and randomly taught him Dothraki phrases. It wasn't like he would really use them ever, but it was a nice thing to remember her by when she did leave. And it was also nice to see her laugh at his failed pronunciations each time he tried to.

Now, it was mainly about them trying to get who was coming with them to Hardhome. Olly had still kept his mouth shut, but he had noticed how the younger boy was constantly looking in Daenerys' direction now, probably to see if she would make another false move like she did that night. However, he and she had both agreed it was better to stay in disguise as long as she could out in public, that way there _were_ no other little accidents.

Jon had been noticing too that in her spare time, Daenerys had been practicing with the sword he had given her in her chambers. He wondered if maybe he could possibly get her her own sword before she left, but he'd have to go down to Mole's Town for that, and people would start to question why. Maybe that would be for another time.

Eventually, though, he started to stage the exit with Tormund and some of his men who had remained loyal. Thorne and most of the people who followed him obviously stayed behind, with their comments, but Jon knew that if Thorne didn't open the gate for them when they came back, Jon would have his head, just as he did with Slynt. It wasn't even a matter of Daenerys anymore. It was the blatant disobeying orders for him, and he would not let that stand.

On the night before they were to leave, when he went to check on Daenerys, he saw that she wasn't in her chambers. When he went to go check on Aemon, he saw that the older man was sleeping as well, so he didn't know where she could have possibly gone. However, when he went to go check in the library, he was surprised to see her in there, speaking with Sam.

He raises an eyebrow as he walks in. "What's going on here?" he asks quietly, closing the door behind him so no one else saw.

Daenerys turns her head up to him as he walks towards the table they were at. "Sam was just telling me about something that came in from Oldtown."

Jon's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Ah, well it seems that there's been some sort of package sent from Oldtown," Sam begins. "I asked Aemon about it, and he said that he personally requested it a while ago when he was still regularly walking around. It only _just_ came in. I haven't opened it yet because I want to read it to him personally."

"I've been wondering what it could be," Daenerys states. "We've been theorizing."

Jon feels a slight smile come on his lips. He was glad to see Dany and Sam getting along so well. "I think it might be a book of medicine!" he hears from behind the stacks of novels, and he turns his head to see Gilly emerge with little Sam, who was clanged to her side. "I mean, all of the things the Maester's read are books, but I can't figure out what Maester Aemon wouldn't already know."

Jon feels his shoulders drop. "Why is it that all of my friends are meeting without me?" he asks with a raised brow.

Daenerys chuckles. "Then sit down, Lord Commander. What do you think this mysterious package is?"

Jon moves, taking a seat down. "How 'bout…a collection of memories from his youth?" He shrugs a bit and leans back. "Maester Aemon _is_ getting old. He might be forgetting things that he used to easily remember. Might be a memory book of sorts."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Sam responds. "I thought it could be maybe something about the White Walkers."

Jon waves a hand dismissively. "Aemon never experienced anything with that. I don't know what they might have in that Citadel that would explain what we're going through."

"I proposed that it was Targaryen history," Daenerys interjects. "They have journals from my ancestors down in there, as well as records. Perhaps he wanted to know about his family more than he already did."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "As someone who is as old as he is, you don't think he doesn't already know _everything_ about your family?"

Daenerys shrugs a bit. "Who knows? The Targaryen's for centuries were always sort of mysterious, in a way. We were foreigners compared to everyone else here when they took charge. People who could control dragons and some even had mystical powers. There might be more to my family than I know." She glances at the package that sat on the table. Jon realizes at that moment just how big it was.

"Um…have we considered the size of this?" Jon asks quietly, looking at the brown parcel that seemed to be almost a leg-length wise. "There must be something else other than books or documents in here."

"Well, obviously, but it's nice to think about what it could be," Sam states. "The package is _quite_ heavy." Jon goes to stand and then moves the package from the table, lowering it to the ground with ease. Sam rolls his eyes. "Well, maybe not for you," the man mutters, while Gilly rubs his shoulder in support.

Jon takes a seat again. "It feels about as heavy as a sword – maybe two, don't know. But I don't think that's what would be in there." He looks at the ground and sighs. "Think we could all use some more swords soon with how everything is going."

"Well…we've recovered more of those dragonglass weapons," Sam proposes. "That counts, right?"

Jon was quiet for a moment. "It does…but we're going to need a lot more than that." He looks back up at them. "I wonder if maybe the wildlings might have some more there, possibly…I don't know. We just need something. Anything to prove to these men that what we're doing isn't out there and maddening." He brings a hand through his hair, sighing. "I've been thinking of ways to play the game more here with the wildlings."

Gilly's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean ways in which people will stop going mad over us letting them in. Ways in which _they_ can help us, too. There are a lot of warrior wildlings in their clan, at least from what Tormund told me."

"What if you used them?" Daenerys suggests.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there are a lot of parts on the wall that are unguarded. You could use those warriors to defend those parts so that they're working with you, not against you. That way you're helping them, and they're helping you."

Jon bites his lip. "I don't know how well that would go over with everyone."

"But they're not the Lord Commander, are they?" Daenerys quips, grabbing what seemed to be a glass of wine – Sam must have gotten it special for her – and taking a sip. "They have to listen to you. And because we are saving the wildlings, they will probably feel indebted to you."

"I was also thinking some could take up Gilly's job." He looks over at the young woman who looked at him in surprise. "Gilly, you have a little boy that you constantly have to take care of. If we're going to be bringing wilding woman here, we might as well include them in that. Have them cook, clean…take care of the castle."

Daenerys nods, agreeing. "That would be a huge help to her, and a great way to bring them into the castle. That's a good idea."

"What about the other brothers?" Sam asks. "If they attack them? Or disobey?"

"I'm done with that, Sam." He looks over at him. "I've been the Lord Commander for at least some time now and I'm sick of it. You saw what I did to Slynt. They _all_ saw what I did to Slynt. They have words or want to disobey my orders, that's it. I'm done giving chances." He glances back at the table, his fingers fidgeting. "The only thing I'm concerned about is just the integration. If they have a problem with me, they can come. But with the others….I don't know." He glances up at Sam, chuckling a bit. "What do you think would be the chances of a wildling marrying a lord?"

Sam snorts. "One in a million, most likely." The plump man sighs. "The brothers aren't the only thing that is a bit concerning…I'm even wondering about the new trainees, especially Olly. I know you spoke with him, Jon, but he just seemed…so adamant about not letting the wildlings in."

Jon's brow furrows as he leans forward. "What happened with him? When did you speak? Was this recent or a while ago?"

"It was today. I was working on taking down some notes when he came in with some dinner for Aemon and myself. He was sleeping for most of the time so he didn't hear the conversation…he's just questioning why you're bringing them in. The same old conversation about how his family was killed…I try to tell him that sometimes, men have to take risks for the greater good and choices that may look wrong but are good at the end of the day…he didn't seem to believe me."

Jon runs his hands through his hair again. "I don't think anyone could get through to him…what he went through is horrible. I don't blame him."

"It's trauma," Daenerys says simply. "When a certain group kills your _whole_ family, it's sort of hard _not_ to have certain biases. Maybe once he starts to meet them he'll understand why," Daenerys reassures gently. He feels her hand rest on his shoulder and Jon offers a tired smile to her. After a moment, he hears a throat clear and they both look over to see Sam stand with Gilly, before bearing the package up into his arms.

"Think I'll take this to Aemon's room – look at it when you leave for Hardhome tomorrow…you two rest now. Have a long journey ahead of you." Daenerys smiles at Sam and Gilly and offers a little wave to tiny Sam, who giggles at her. Jon watches them as they leave, the door closing behind him.

Once it was, he raises his brow at her. "I'm surprised you're letting your hair down in here. Anyone could have walked in."

She waves her hand. "It's so late. I doubt it."

"That's what we thought before and yet look what happened with Olly."

"Alright, touché," she mutters, grabbing her hood and pulling it over her head. It covers her hair completely, but for some reason, his hand reaches up and pulls it back down. She stares at him in confusion – he was honestly confused at his own actions – but pushes that off. "I thought you wanted it up?"

"I mean…I can keep an eye out. Just put it up when you go back to your chambers." She shrugs at his words, looking over to the fire that roared in the fireplace of the library. He hears her exhale, seeing her hands start to mess with each other, fingers intertwining. Nerves were taking over. "Are you worried about tomorrow?" he asks her gently.

She was quiet before moving to look at him. "I'm…concerned, I suppose. I…fuck, I don't know how to say this." He involuntarily chuckles and she raises an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry – I think the North is starting to rub off on your cursing."

He sees her smile a bit, but that fades away after a moment. "I don't think my handmaiden back home will like that." She looks at the ground and sighs. "Can…can I tell you something, Jon? Something…important?"

Jon's brow furrows. "Of course you can. What is it?"

Daenerys swallows and looks back at the fire. "I…had an advisor. A protector, I think really. His name was Jorah Mormont."

Jon's brow raises. "Of House Mormont? His father was the Lord Commander before I."

She looks at him in shock. " _Really?_ "

"Yes…he was a good man. Died at Craster's Keep, but he believed in me. Knew I would amount to something here…I didn't know you knew his son."

"Well, I knew him _far_ more than many other people."

Jon's brow furrows once more. "Did…did you-" He gestures with his hands awkwardly.

"Oh, gods no. I _never_ felt for him that way…not like I ever did for others. But…he was a dear friend of mine. Not just someone who seemed loyal to me but cared for me, about how I was. Who genuinely _loved_ me…and then I found out he had been spying on me for the throne when I was part of the Dothraki…he knew about an attempt on my life through poison, and didn't say anything…and he kept this secret from me for _years._ " She looks back to the ground. "Ser Barristan was the one who told me…I didn't even hear it from the man himself. There was no way I could trust him – at least not for a _very_ long time. I banished him, and told him I never wanted to see him again…and the look in his eyes was enough to break my heart, but I held off because I knew I was smarter than that…even though I _know_ it would be hard to ever let him in, I still miss him. _A lot._ I felt like he was my first supporter and then all of a sudden…gone."

He could see the pain in her eyes, the conflicting thoughts that crossed her mind. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," he says quietly. "But…if I may ask, what does that have to do with the mission?"

"Because…" She takes the last gulp of her wine down, settling the goblet back on the table. "If I feel this way about someone who _betrayed_ me and miss him…I can't even imagine how I would feel if this…if any of this goes wrong and I lose…you." He feels himself still slightly when she moves her gaze to look back at him, her violet eyes once again dancing with light from the fire. "A man I just met barely a month ago that has somehow managed to sneak his way into my heart and head. And if you die…I don't know what would happen."

"Dany, I'm going to be fine," he reassures gently.

She shakes her head. "You have _so many things_ riding against you, Jon. The wildlings have probably lost your trust. I have no idea who else is going to be there. Some of the brothers are against what you're saying and I have a bad feeling about all of it. I'm _terrified_ of what might happen and I…I don't know." She looks at the ground and sighs. "I don't know."

Her gaze disheartens him, and he feels the need to make up for it. So, he uses one of his hands to tilt her head up, and the other pushes away the strands of her silver hair that hung in front of her face. Only now does he realize how smooth her skin is. "I'm going to be alright, I can _promise_ you that. We're going to go to Hardhome, come up with some sort of bargain, and come back _alive._ Both of us…no betrayals, no deaths, just us. No one will be burning the other's body."

"How can you be so sure?" she whispers, her hand coming up and covering his own.

"Well…I'm not," he says honestly. "But what I _do_ know is that there is nothing in this world that could stop me from getting you there and back safely. I'm making _sure_ both of us come back. You don't need to worry about losing me."

She bites her lip and her hand lowers to her lap. "I will have to worry when I return back to Meereen," she whispers.

Jon feels his own hands drop when she says that. He had been thinking so much more about that lately. "Ay…but you'll be happy when you're out of this cold. I've always wanted to go somewhere warm." He sees a slight smile appear on her lips, one that doesn't reach her eyes. "If you want, I can write to you. And you to me," he suggests to her, which causes her head to turn up. "I know it's not the same as…there in person but it's something."

Daenerys sighs and bites her lip. "Yeah…something." She stands up and brushes her hands against her pants, putting off any crumbs that settled there from dinner. "We leave early on the morrow, correct?" He nods as he stands. "Alright…I'll head to bed."

Jon bites his lip and then reaches out, grabbing her hand. She turns to him with a furrowed brow. "Dany, I-" He exhales quietly and speaks, as best as he can. "If I could…I would follow you in a heartbeat." He gestures to the door. "You're right. Half of these men are fucking arses who don't know how to obey orders. Many of them are thieves and downright horrible people. There are few men here that I can truly trust. And yes, you're right, for some ungodly reason, _you've_ somehow gained it, when I haven't known you for _nearly_ as long as these men…you've had faith in me when many others don't, give me ideas that I didn't even think of…I actually _feel_ like a leader when I'm with you…but…"

"Your duty is here," she mumbles. "I know, I've heard it before-"

"It's not that," he whispers, eyes shutting close. He could almost feel his shame building up. "I…I don't give a _fuck_ about duty. At first, I did but I only did because I felt it was my family telling me to…I wanted to somehow prove myself to them, but half of them are dead and the other half is missing and I…I want to build my own life. To pave my own way. I…I don't want to be a carbon copy of my father." He finally opens his eyes and sees that she was still standing there, now looking at him softly. "But…but I know that the _moment_ I go anywhere with you, I'm _never_ going to want to come back here. To look after this threat that's building. To hope that this world doesn't just…die out…not without you. And I _can't_ let that happen. Not to the innocent children. Not to the innocent lives."

He sees her eyes soften even more at his words. She steps forward, resting her hands on his cheeks. He feels her thumbs gently stroke at the edge of his stubble. "At your very core, you are an honorable man…I know you won't leave with me if you aren't given a reason, Jon. I understand that." She lowers her hands and then steps away. "I'll cherish the rest of the time we do have. And after that, well…I'll have your letters to look forward to, I suppose." She offers him a soft smile once more and pulls back. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jon."

Jon watches her go, seeing her fingers quickly lift up her hood as she exits the library, leaving him completely and utterly alone. He feels the warmth of the fire leave him and a cold settle in once the door was closed. He leans against the wall and runs his hands through his hair again.

He cared for her. So much. And now, they were going into former enemy territory, with her at his side, where she was right – as much as he didn't want to acknowledge it for her, they could _very well_ hurt any of them.

Gods, Ser Barristan was going to _murder him._

* * *

_Sam_

They leave early in the morning, and Sam notices.

He notices how Jon looked nervous, more nervous than he had been in a long time. He tended to keep his nerves to himself for the sake of being the leader, but now, he could see the change. The way his leg shook, how his hands fidgeting with the end of Longclaw, as if testing how well it could be pulled. Something was getting to him.

And Sam knew it was that Daenerys was on a horse next to him, leaving with Tormund at their side, followed by some of their men. He had stayed behind on Jon's orders – he was better at the smart part of the Wall rather than the brawn – but even with the men Jon _did_ have, it seemed nothing was enough to soothe the man's nerves.

Even so, he had embraced him tightly before he went off, along with Daenerys. It was funny how such a small woman could provide some of the warmest hugs he had ever imagined – it must have been the dragon queen in her. They could never be as warm as Gilly's however. Those were a special kind of hug.

Once they had left, he had gone to Aemon while Gilly rested with little Sam. The man had seemed to be regaining his strength, surprisingly, lately. He had a feeling it was because Daenerys had arrived. He had never seen the old man smile so much than when he was with his niece. He wondered what would happen when she left. What would happen to _Jon_ when she left.

Sam wasn't the smartest man alive – he knew that. But he was smart enough to read the signs of a man who was _clearly_ infatuated. But that wasn't his place to comment on.

When Sam walked into Aemon's room, he was surprised to see that the old man wasn't standing in his bed – but walking with his cane near the window, having it opened, the wind rushing against his face. "Aemon!" Sam says excitedly, closing the door. "It's good to see you standing."

"Ah…I feel young again, Samuel," Aemon says, and even though his eyes remained blind, a smile comes on his lips. "I feel…like there is a start of something new." He finally turns his head to where Sam was, before gesturing his hand to the package Sam had brought in early this morning. "Please, I think we must open this package."

"Of course," Sam states, rushing over to the side and heaving the package up with a grunt onto the bed, while Aemon takes a seat across from him. "Might I ask…what was it that you requested directly from the Citadel?"

"Family secrets," Aemon responds easily. "Something I…have a hunch about. This is what I needed to hear. I had a special connection to some older Maester's there who held this for me, away from everyone for years…before I met who I think they are referring to. Go on then, open it. Tell me what's in there."

Sam raises an eyebrow, wondering if Aemon _had_ gone mad because he had _no_ idea what the elder man was speaking on. Even so, his fingers quickly make use of the package, pulling off the strings and the brown covering before he is met with a box, one that almost felt like a chest. Sam quickly flips open the lid and stares at what was on top.

The first thing he noticed was _indeed_ a novel, but it looked to be a journal of some sort, at least from the writing on the front. It said 'A Personal Intake of High Septon Maynard.' Sam raises an eyebrow and looks at Aemon.

"You wanted a journal of a High Septon?"

"Not just any High Septon…I've heard rumors that he actually annulled Rhaegar's marriage, one's that I have never been able to confirm because they never let me go through these novels. Thankfully, age has taught people to respect my wishes. There should be another journal in there."

Sam's brow raises. "That's…surprising. What a strange rumor. Guess you'll find out today." Sam pulls out another novel that was hidden near the bottom, his brow raising at the name written on the inside. 'Eddard Stark.' "H…how did they have this?"

"They took a personal journal from his belongings after he was beheaded in King's Landing. No one looked inside, but I had a feeling I would need it as well. I'm going to need you to read everything to me, Samwell. Every last note from _years_ ago. You _will_ be able to do that for me, won't you?"

"O…of course," Sam responds, stuttering a bit. This was all so much at one point. What was Aemon getting at?

"Come on then, there's more in there. I know – I requested it!"

Sam quickly hurries his fingers back into the package, finally pulling out what was the heaviest part of it – a case that held something inside. As he yanks it out and pulls it onto the bed, he feels his eyes widen in complete shock once his fingers flip open the case, and he stares at what it was.

"This…this couldn't be…" He looks at Aemon, and he sees a smile appear on the old man's face, a knowing one. "What…what is going on, Maester Aemon?"

"What is happening…is that we are going to have some news to tell Daenerys and Jon when they return," Aemon says simply. "But you must read every last thing. And then, I will answer every question I can. Understood?"

Sam still stared in surprise and utter disbelief at the items in front of him, before turning back to Aemon. As many questions as he had running through his mind, his duty was to serve Aemon. So he would. "Yes, Maester Aemon."

"Good…" He nods to the novel in Sam's hands. "Now, let's begin with Eddard…and the Tower of Joy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what ya'll think Aemon's hunch is? XD
> 
> I mean we all know but that was a main gripe of mine with the series - why the FUCK did Jon find out his parentage so late in the game? And handle it so poorly? So we're about to say fuck you to that and have him find out sooner for god's sake - don't know exactly when but hey, Aemon is a smart motherfucker and I feel that he would have caught on to Jon's mannerisms at some point that probably reminded him of Rhaegar, so here we go - my story my rules lol
> 
> Please let me know what you guys thought and leave a comment for this little story, as your comments have always inspired me to keep writing and pushing these stories out for you guys. You have been so incredibly helpful and responsive with your comments and I love them all so much, so thank you for making me a better writer and inspiring me every day - you all are amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join us on our little adventure and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: Hardhome, baby ;) and a surprise guest makes an appearance.


	7. The Battle of Hardhome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Night's Watch arrives in Hardhome, and things get ugly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all soooo much for the amazing response on the last chapter! You all made me so incredibly happy and made me push on this chapter that much quicker! This was one of my absolute favorite chapters to write like ever out of all of my stories and you'll probably see why. Also this is another really late at night update but ugh I couldn't wait to get this out! 
> 
> Just to let you all know - i do use the show as a reference for plot points (I'm a bit more familiar with the show than I am the books) but I'm going to make these characters as close to their book versions as possible because honestly i like them so much more, so I hope ya'll are here for that! And I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

_Daenerys_

The journey to Hardhome took a little less than a week. It was funny, how Dany had thought it was cold at the wall – it was _nothing_ compared to the freezing temperatures of Beyond the Wall.

Jon had tried to prepare her for the temperatures along the boats to get here, but she had said she would be fine. Now, she was practically shivering up a storm as they headed towards the shores of Hardhome in their smaller boats, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

Jon had come over at one point to her, a smug expression on his lips before they had left. "Ah. I see someone didn't listen to me."

"Shove off," she muttered while climbing into one of the boats. They had decided one boat would be just her, Jon and Tormund considering the wildling knew their secret. The others did not. "It's not that bad." And as she had said that, a burst of wind went through the air that nearly knocked her out of the water. "Alright, maybe it is."

He shakes his head and climbs into the boat behind her while letting Tormund in as well. "Here, take this." He hands her one of the furs he had on and she slips it over her shoulders. It did not fit her whatsoever, but it brought a warmness to her that she didn't feel before. "I'm used to the cold here. That should help you."

Daenerys feels herself smile a bit and nods but doesn't let it show too much. The other men that Jon had brought were right behind them in the boats. She didn't want to let their secret out like this. They had already been questioned when Jon had decided to bring 'Daryn,' with them, and even Thorne had questioned why they were bringing a 'trainee.' Jon had said 'he' was for use with the smaller children.

It was the best excuse they could probably come up with for now. Daenerys was almost sure some of his brothers must think Jon enjoyed his personal time with men now.

Even so, they had kept it relatively on the downlow since they had been on the ships. And now, with them in their own boat heading towards the shore, they could talk freely. "You two are somethin' else," she hears Tormund mutter as Jon rowed the boat towards the snow. Daenerys raises an eyebrow.

"Tell me what you mean by that?"

"This secret of yours. I told you the reason I wanted to bring 'er was that _she_ had a better chance of gaining the free folk's trust than a crow and now you're tellin' me she's _still_ hiding as a crow? That's not going to do us _any_ good."

Jon sighs. "The other brothers will be staying in the boats until I can give them the signal to start moving people. She can reveal herself to the wildlings in there, and then when she comes out, all she does is pull up her hood. Many believe her to be a younger boy anyway."

Tormund snorts. "Yeah, 'cause she got dirt all 'ver her face."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "Look, it's what we have to do for now. Either you accept it or not. It doesn't change our lives either way."

Tormund 'oohs' before chuckling. "You really are a fiery little one, huh?"

"If by fiery you mean I could burn you to a crisp the next time you call me little, then yes," she warns. Instead of a look of fear on his face like she had expected, he only laughs, his head tilted back before shaking it, looking at Jon.

He points his finger at her. "I like this one. Keep 'er around."

Jon doesn't respond, and neither does she. A part of her knew she _would_ like to stay – or at least keep him with her. But she knew that wasn't what was meant to be.

As they approached the shore a bit quicker, she could hear Tormund and Jon started to talk a bit more. "You trust me, Jon Snow?" he asks quietly.

"I do. Does that make me a fool?"

Tormund shrugs as the ship docks, and he steps out. "We are all fools together now," he comments. Jon helps Daeneyrs step out, waving to the men behind them to stop their boats and wait for his sign.

"I don't know how serious this is going to be," he says to Daenerys quietly. "Wait until I say you can go and speak to them if something starts to go wrong. We need to approach this as quickly and quietly as possible."

She nods, watching as he stepped forward to Tormund once more, and she started to follow behind them. The wind was so cold. Freezing to an extent. She didn't know how these people survived out here. Regardless if they agreed or not today, she would be impressed that they could live like this.

As she stepped forward, her eyes watched over the people. She could see it now – the hardened gazes of the wildlings at them, but the more she looked, the more she spotted who they were doing this for. The innocent children who hid behind their mothers. The elders that were sitting down, their eyes following them wearily. The ones who barely knew how to fight. And the more she looked at them, the more she felt the need to help.

Gods, how was she going to go back to Meereen with this on her mind?

"Lord of Bones," she hears Tormund state as they stopped walking, and she turns her head to see him addressing a man who had a – _seven hells,_ was that a _skull_ over his head? "Been a long time."

"Last time I saw you, the little crow was your prisoner," the man comments, his eyes looking to Jon. "The other way around now, I see. What happened?"

"War," was Tormund's simple answer.

"You call that a war?" the Lord of Bones laughs. "The greatest army the North has ever seen cut to pieces by a Southern king. Pathetic. You don't even deserve to be here."

Tormund sighs quietly. Daenerys couldn't help herself. "Maybe we should go somewhere else to meet with your elders?" she suggests. "Somewhere quiet to talk."

The Lord of Bones looks to her, and through the skull, she could see his piercing eyes regarding her harshly, an eyebrow raised. "And who _the fuck_ might you be? You don't give the orders around here, little boy."

"She isn't giving orders," Tormund instantly states, and Daenerys' brow raises as he sees his eyes close in frustration. Well, there went their cover. The Lord of Bones laughs.

"She? Now you have some pussy girl leading you as well as a crow? Fallen' to pieces, haven't you? Why aren't you in chains already?"

Jon decides to step forward this time. "He's not my prisoner."

"Then what is he?"

"We're allies. All of us."

The wildlings about them all begin to yell and complain loudly. Daenerys feels her nerves start to go up at their words. The Lord of Bones snarls.

"You fucking traitor!" he snaps at Tormund. "You fight for the crows now!"

"I don't fight for the crows!" Tormund angrily yells back.

"We're not here to fight," Jon interjects, trying to break up the inevitable fight that would happen. "We're here to talk."

The Lord of Bones glares at him, but before he could speak, Daenerys steps forward. "Please, what they are here for is a matter of life and death – they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't feel a need to protect you. This is for safety, not for war."

The man then turns his glare to her through the eyes of the skull. "I don't care what you might say, _little girl,_ " he adds on, knowing what Tormund had said earlier. "I am _never_ fighting alongside fucking crows." He turns his gaze back to Tormund. "And is all that right? You want to just _talk?_ You and the pretty crow do so much talking, Tormund. And when you're finally done talking, do you get down on your knees and suck his cock-"

Tormund doesn't give him any more room to speak, as he hits the man harshly, knocking him off his guard before grabbing his staff that he held. Within seconds, Tormund grips it and begins to beat the Lord of Skulls, so much so that he falls to the ground. He doesn't stop there, however, and batters the man's head, until blood started to spew onto the snow. Daenerys stares in complete shock.

Once the former Lord of Bones was dead – _for sure –_ Tormund throws the staff to the side, breathing heavily. "Gather the elders," he finally commands, looking at the wildlings. "Let's talk."

The ones around him don't seem to question his decision, and quickly start to move. Jon stares at him in shock and almost disgust, from what Dany could see. Tormund shrugs his shoulders.

"He was always going to die." Jon shakes his head and looks away. Tormund turns to Daenerys. "Sorry for exposin' you there."

Daenerys waves her hand dismissively, still in shock. "I have a feeling we would have been told out anyway…doesn't seem to matter now," she mutters, her eyes still on the body on the ground. Tormund nods and then heads off to where some of the wildlings were collecting, in a cabin nearby. Jon comes to her side. "Remind me to never get on Tormund's bad side," she whispers to him.

Jon nods quietly. "Glad that wasn't me," he responds before pushing her forward gently. "Come on, then."

* * *

When they arrived in a cabin, Jon had given her information on some of the people who were in there. He knew a couple of them from his time beyond the Wall, and some he didn't know, most of the elders in the room. There were also Thenn's, another type of wilding that used to be enemies with Tormund's group. Not so much now.

And all eyes were on Jon.

Daenerys stood in the corner with her hood still up, standing next to Tormund, praying that this came through. Or at least the message from before still stood.

"My name's Jon Snow," he begins quietly. "I'm Lord Commander of the Night's Watch…we're not friends. We've never been friends. We're not going to become friends today. But this isn't about friendship. This is about putting a 700-foot wall between you and what's out there, and what is coming for you."

A woman – Karsi, if Daenerys remembered her name – scoffed. "You built that wall to keep all of us out, Crow."

"And since when do the crows give two shits if we live or not?" one of the Thenn's – Lobada, right – spoke up.

"In normal times, we wouldn't," Jon spoke honestly. "But these aren't normal times, not by any means. The White Walkers don't care who you are, whether you're Free Folk or part of the Seven Kingdoms. Whether you're a crow or of royalty. We're all the same to them – meat to their army. But if we come together, we can beat them."

Karsi laughs. "Beat the White Walkers? Good luck with that. Run from them, maybe."

Jon reaches into his bag he had brought and held it up, showing the dragonglass to the woman. She stares at it, almost pensively before looking at him with suspicion in her eyes.

"It's not a trick. It's a gift for any of you who wish to join us," Jon explains as Karsi's fingers dip in and grab a piece of it. "It's dragonglass. A man of the Night's Watch used one of these daggers to kill a walker."

Loboda turns to him, brow furrowed. "You saw this?"

"No. But I trust this man."

Karsi lowers the piece back into the bag. "There are old stories about dragonglass."

"There are old stories about ice spiders as big as hounds," Loboda counters. "There are old stories about _everything._ "

"And with the things we've seen, you don't believe them?" she asks him.

Jon lowers the bag. "Come with us and I'll share these weapons with you."

Karsi raises an eyebrow at him. "Come with you where?"

Jon looks between all of them, speaking clearly. "There are good lands south of the Wall. The Night's Watch will allow you through the tunnel and allow your people to farm those lands."

No one speaks. Daenerys could see some uneasy expressions along their faces. Jon continues to speak.

"I knew Mance Rayder," he states, and that seemed to get their attention. Jon had told her about the former wildling leader in private one day. A part of her wished she could have met him to see how he somehow kept everyone here in line. "He never wanted a war with the Night's Watch. He wanted a new life for his people. For all of you. We want to give you that new life."

Karsi was the first one to speak this time. "If…?" Her word trails off.

"If you swear to join us when the real war begins," Jon answers simply.

There were mumbles among the crowd once more. Loboda speaks again. "Where is Mance?"

Jon was silent for a second. "He died."

"How?"

Daenerys sees Jon close his eyes briefly before exhaling. "I put an arrow through his heart."

Instantly the wildlings begin to yell and riot, some stepping forward with their weapons. Loboda takes out his axe. "I say we send the Lord Commander back to Castle Black with no eyes!"

Tormund finally speaks, pushing the man back as hard as he could. "None of you saw Mance die!" he exclaims angrily, looking wildly around so that he could see each one of their distrustful faces. "The Southern King that broke our army, Stannis – he wanted to burn Mance's body to send a message. Jon defied his orders – his arrow was a shot of mercy. What he did took courage and that's what we need today – the courage to make peace with men we've been fighting for generations."

"I lost my father, my uncle, and two brothers fighting the fucking crows!" Karsi exclaims.

Daenerys bites her lip and steps forward. "No one is saying you need to forget what happened."

All eyes turn to her. She lowers her hood finally, looking at them. Loboda turns his gaze to her. "You've been quiet this whole time, little girl."

Daenerys swallows, but there was no way she was going to let her nerves and fears stand in the way of safety. "My name is Daenerys Targaryen. Some of your elders in your family may have heard of my family's title from years ago."

"I thought all the Targaryen's were dead," an elder scoffs. "How can we trust that?"

"I have dragons that could easily burn down this village. I have thousands of men who back me and support my claim. But I am here. And there's a reason for that." She gestures behind them, out towards the ocean. "My kingdom was falling apart. The men who I thought _I_ had conquered were starting to take over. I thought I could handle it on my own and nearly lost my _life_ doing so, if not for the head of my Kingsguard. I came here, swallowed my pride, and asked for help from the last person I know who knew _anything_ about the world. And while I've been there, Jon Snow has been protecting me."

She looks back at him, seeing him standing there silently. He was letting her speak. Good.

"My trust is not easy to gain," she continues. "I've been lied to, played with, and treated as a bargaining tool for years before I started to make my own way. If I did not trust Jon Snow, I would not be here. If I didn't trust him with my life, I could have left the Wall a long time ago. His concern for the world is real. His want to keep you alive is true. I can't tell you how often I've heard him try and defend it to his brothers back at Castle Black." She looks back over at Karsi. "That Wall may have been built to keep people out, but soon enough that Wall is going to be the only thing that is protecting you from him. Jon wasn't the one who built it – he genuinely cares about you. All of you." She gestures to the bag. "That dragonglass isn't the only thing that they have access to."

Loboda's brow furrows. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't have the ability to go to Dragonstone right now – and I won't for some time if Stannis bloody Baratheon has anything to do with it. But I can make sure that thousands more of mined dragonglass that is hidden underneath those castles will make its way into _all_ of your hands once that false king is cut down into pieces. And you will be safe, protected."

They start to mumble among themselves. Karsi steps forward.

"If you expect us to bow to you, we bow to no one," the woman states firmly.

"I am not. I came here looking for help. Not looking for followers. I know that life beyond the Wall is something entirely different. I am not going to be claiming you or expecting you to give your lives to my cause. But what I _am_ hoping is that you will do the same thing I did when coming here – swallow your pride, and _know_ when you have to ask for help. _Jon_ can help you. We _all_ can help you."

There were more mumbles this time. Daenerys steps back and looks to Jon, nodding at him to speak. She didn't know what else she could say. He acknowledges her movement and comes forward.

"I'll never forget that night," Jon states. "I lost 50 brothers that night when Mance attacked. Some that were my close friends. But I'm asking you to think of the future. Of your children. They'll never have their own families, children of their own, if we don't band together to defeat this. The Long Night is coming and the dead are arriving with it. No clan can stop them, nor free folk, nor us. The only way we stand a single chance is _together._ All of us. And even if _that's_ not enough…we'll at the very least give the fuckers a fight."

Daenerys could see some nods of approval at his words, some starting to whisper to each other. Karsi was again the first one to speak, looking at Tormund. "You vouch for this man?" she asks him.

Tormund nods after a moment. "He may be a pretty boy, but he knows how to fight. He's young but he knows how to lead. He didn't have to come to Hardhome. He came because he needs us. And we need him." He looks over at Daenerys and points to her. "She, however, is a different story."

Karsi's brow raises. "What do you mean?"

"She has _no_ issue being here. This is a _true_ foreign queen from some other country that is willin' to fight for _us._ People she's never met before today. And the reason _why_? She trusts Snow. She's willing to risk her own men for this fight across the sea because of a man she just met not that long ago. That speaks volumes, even for me."

They start to talk amongst themselves. Loboda's eyes narrow. "My ancestors would spit on me if I ever even broke bread with a crow, let alone ally with them."

"So would mine," Karsi pipes up from where she stood. "But fuck 'em. They're dead." She walks to Jon and in front of Tormund. "I'll never trust a man in black…but I trust you, Tormund. If you say this is the way, we're with you."

Tormund manages a tired but glad smile at her. "This is the way."

Another elder steps forward. "I agree with this. If we stay here, we are dead men. At least with King Crow and his little friend right here, there's a chance," the man states. Daenerys raises an eyebrow at the comment towards her but doesn't say anything.

Karsi looks over at her with her brow furrowed. "Will I be able to trust you, foreign queen?"

Daenerys stands up straight, unwavering from her gaze. "If you can trust Tormund, you can trust me."

The woman nods once, before glancing back to Tormund. Someone in the corner calls out and Daenerys feels herself jump when she sees a bloody _giant_ standing. "Tormund!" he calls out, and she takes that as his agreement.

Loboda, on the other hand, spits on the ground. "Keep that new life you want to give us," he snaps. "And keep your bloody glass. Soon as you all get onto those ships, they're going to slit your throats and dump your bodies into the sea. That's our enemy. That has _always_ been our enemy."

He storms out after that. Multiple other wildlings being to leave after that. Karsi glances at Tormund once more.

"I fucking hate Thenns."

He only agrees with a nod.

* * *

Time passes and they start to lead the wildlings towards the boats. Jon turns to Tormund as he helps some of the younger children onto one of the boats. "How many are with us? 5000?"

"Not so good at counting."

Daenerys glances behind them and sighs. "I feel like we're leaving too many behind," she confides.

Tormund turns to her. "Let me tell you something. The free folk are fucking stubborn. Do you want to know how long it took Mance to band them together? 20 fucking years. There was no way they were all going to come today."

"He knew them better than I ever will," Jon mutters.

"They're running out of food and there's nothing to hunt," Tormund reassures him. "They'll come around." He glances ahead and nods at him. "I'll go and get more of the elderly. Be back in a second."

Jon nods and Daenerys watches until he vanishes into the crowd once more, her hood up covering her complexation and hair once more. Her eyes follow in surprise as the giant from before comes around, picking up a piece of the dragonglass and stroking it. Edd – one of the brothers Jon trusted – stared at the giant before shaking his head, coming back to the boats.

She sees Jon look at her with an amused expression on his face. "First time seeing a giant, Dany?" She looks uneasy at them before back at him.

"First time," she mutters before glancing back towards the giant. "I didn't even know these still…existed."

"Well, many don't think dragons still exist," he responds back.

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "Yes, but I _know_ my dragons. These could…step on me, right on my head. I trust my dragons not to step on me," she mumbles, turning back to the boats. Jon chuckles as he helps another young girl into a boat.

"I thought that way too the first time I saw one. They start to grow on you, though. If you get to know them they're just a bunch of big babies." Daenerys chuckles at that as one of the boats start to sail off back towards the ships. Once it was safely in the water, he turns back to her. "About your little, uh…speech earlier. Thanks for that. You didn't need to make up all that stuff about me."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "Make up? Jon, I don't just lie. I speak from my heart. Those words were true." He looks down at her in quiet surprise.

"You really trust me with your life?" he asks softly.

Daenerys tilts her head and a kind smile comes onto her lips. "You didn't already know that?" She shakes her head and glances back at the water. "Jon, I've even invited you to come back with me to Meereen. I don't just do that to someone I don't trust." She glances at the ground and bites her lip. "And I'm sure in time, the wildlings will come to trust you with theirs."

"It's not the wildlings I worry about," he answers honestly, glancing away. "They're fighters…I know eventually, Tormund will be right. They'll come…slowly, but they will." He glances back at her. "I worry about you. But you already know this."

"Jon, we're leaving with our bodies – your wish was fulfilled," she chuckles lightly.

He sighs. "Not here, just…in the future." He looks down at her. "I feel that the way you are…I mean, you're so…passionate, I suppose is the right word. You're going to make a lot of enemies. I worry for you when you're back there."

Daenerys looks back to the ground and bites her lip once more. "Well…it's not like you can come." She forces her depressing thoughts out of her head and makes herself smile once more, before turning to look at him. "Besides, I think I had a great teacher. You taught me how to protect myself better than anyone else has. I'll use those lessons for sure."

There was a sudden switch in his eyes, and she sees his brow furrow. "Dany, I-"

His words were suddenly cut off by dogs barking angrily in the distance, some wildly. The wind begins to pick up and heavy snow starts to form around them, whipping against Dany's face. It blows her hood right off her head, as well as the braids out of her hair almost instantly. She brings her hands to cover her face from the snow. "What the hell is happening?!"

Jon doesn't answer. The dogs then begin to whimper, everyone's eyes looking towards the open gates of the town, and the cliff above them. A sound so slow but eerily gaining in noise starts to begin, and panic begins to set in. What…was that?

"Shut the gate!" Loboda commands. Men quickly hurry towards the gate to board it up. Howling begins to sound from the distance. The wildlings that were on the other end of the gate begin to charge towards it. "Shut the gate!" Loboda screams.

Daenerys nearly runs forward to stop them but Jon holds her back. She glares at him. "What are you doing?!"

"Dany, something is happening."

"Jon-"

" _Listen to me!_ " he snaps, pushing her behind him. The men grab a board and place it up against the gate to keep it shut. "There's something happening, stay behind me!" Daenerys doesn't respond, but by the look in his eyes, she could see the fear. The fear that he hid from everyone else. And that made her still.

"Open the gate!" she could hear multiple people screaming from the other side. "Help! Let us in!" But the men held it up, before stepping away as banging on the door suddenly seized.

There was silence. The screams had stopped. Daenerys watches with bated breath as Loboda peeks through a hole in the wall. She hears a faint scream in the distance, and then Loboda instantly jumps back as a…terrifying creature jumps at the wall, breaking the wood.

"Ready your arrows!" he commands, as more and more of those creatures show up. Daenerys feels herself take several steps back, almost into the water as she watches them fire arrows into the heads of them, some even sticking their hands through the gates. And suddenly, everyone is running towards the shore.

Daenerys watches as hundreds begin to jump in the water, trying to catch a boat. Jon yells, "get in line!" as they do, trying to help them. Daenerys finally breaks out of her stupor and helps him as well, not caring that every part of her revealed who she was. And apparently, the other brothers around didn't care either, as they were making a mad dash to the boats as well.

She starts to hear more and more cracks from the gate, hearing more screaming, and she tries to get every last person onto a boat that she could. She turns her head when the noise becomes too much for her, and then she sees them, breaking through the wall, climbing over, some stomping their heads in from beneath the snow. They were _breaking through._

More and more people begin to come to the water. Jon curses and steps back, grabbing Longclaw from his holster. She stares at him in shock.

"Hold the line!" he yells to the brothers.

"Lord Commander!"

"Get them to the ship and come back for me!"

"But you'll never make-"

"Now!"

The brother he spoke to shakes his head and starts to move the boat away. He turns to Daenerys and urges her towards a boat but she shrugs off his arm. " _No fucking way!_ " she hisses.

"Daenerys-"

"We said we'd make it back _together!_ " she yells fiercely. "There's no way I'm getting on a boat without you!"

Before he could even fight her on her words, Karsi appears from the side, shooting an arrow at a creature that just came over the wall. Jon's shoulders drop. "You should be on one of those boats!"

"So should you!" Karsi fights back, sending another arrow over the gate. "My little girl is on there – they're going to let them pass even if you're not there?!"

"You have my word, I've given orders."

"Don't think you're gonna be there to enforce those!" Karsi responds before quickly heading back into the crowd. The snow picks up. The gate begins to break more.

Tormund runs to them, helping some elderly men onto the boats. "If they get through, we all die," he quickly yells.

Jon looks to Daenerys and curses. "Try and stay by my side and hold your sword!" he commands her, and she nods. All of her fear needed to leave her body. She hadn't been doing this for long, but everything had lead up to this, fighting alongside him, trying to save these people. If she couldn't help back home, she would sure as hell fight here and help them.

Then, with a raise of his sword, he commands the others.

"Night's Watch, with me! Move! Move! Move!"

* * *

_Jon_

He fucking _knew_ he should have sent her back to the ships.

Having Daenerys by his side was absolutely terrifying. He had never felt so much fear as watching this small, fiery girl wave her sword as best as she could, fighting each wight that came at them. And honestly…she wasn't bad. She was right – she had been practicing. She used her size to dodge attacks and then sink the smaller sword he had given her to train with into their stomachs, cutting them in half.

But no matter how well she did, it still scared the absolute shit out of him.

He could see from the distance how bad of shape the gate was in. One of the wights had knocked a hole in it to get through. And he sees as one tears someone apart and then is taken down by a sword. More wights begin to storm through the hole, again and again. It was almost endless, each one coming out more and more than the last one.

They arrive close to the gate and he pins a wight that was screaming to the wood, while Tormund slices his weapon through one's head. Karsi uses her arrow to nail down a couple of shots from behind. His eyes quickly turn to Daenerys, seeing her slam her sword through the head of one wight, and then pulling it backward and swinging it through the head of another, the bodies falling to the ground.

Jon kills the wight he had pinned quickly while more men from his brigade pull a sled up, beginning to cover the hole that had formed, but more and more wights still take over, breaking through other areas. They kept coming and coming. He looks to his side as the mist and fog start to thicken. A group of wights begins to tear into people. He sees Tormund disappear into the mist. Karsi shoots more.

And when it did finally clear for a split second, Dany was gone.

Dany was **_gone._**

" ** _Dany!_** " he yells out desperately but hears no response. He curses and slams Longclaw through another wight that runs at him. The fog was too much. He couldn't see anything.

When he turns his gaze, however, it clears for a quick second. And through the mist, he could see four figures on horseback, standing at the top of the cliff. One that had a crown on its head. Those were it. The White Walkers. And then, suddenly, it hits him.

" _The dragonglass!"_ he yells.

"You're with me, lad! Now!"

Jon almost doesn't go. He tries one last time to look for her, but the fog had gotten too strong again and all he could see was the cabin that was on fire, holding the dragonglass inside. He makes a decision and runs towards it, praying to the new gods and the old that Dany was _somehow_ alive and this fog was playing tricks on him.

Both him and Loboda run into the cabin as quickly as possible, slaughtering the wights that stood inside with their sword and ax, cutting them in half. A wall is suddenly broke through and Jon sees one of the giants shake the wights off of his back, snapping a couple in half on the way down and stomping on their heads. He quickly thinks back to Dany and what she had said earlier, before pushing that away.

The dragonglass. They _needed_ the dragonglass.

The two of them move deeper into the cabin, the fire overwhelming the wood. The two of them stop short suddenly, however, when Jon sees one of the worst creatures Jon could have imagined right there. A White Walker had made its way down and held a staff in his hands. Without a single thought, he walks right through the fire. The flames don't even touch them.

Loboda stands tall, holding his ax. "Get the glass," were his words to him, before the man charges towards the White Walker.

Jon quickly scrambles towards the dragonglass that was in the corner, trying to avoid the falling debris of the cabin. He watches Loboda as he does so. The Thenn misses with his ax towards the White Walker twice, his second hit landing in the wall. He pulls it out just in time to parry the creatures hit, but however, it completely _shatters_ his ax – just as it had done to Sam's sword back in the forest.

Without a second thought, the White Walkers plunges his spear through Loboda's stomach, and he falls to the ground. Gurgling blood. Dead.

Jon curses and fights the last few steps to somehow reach the glass, but is suddenly picked up by the White Walker and thrown across the room before he can touch it. Longclaw flies from his hands and out to the cabin as he did so. He quickly dodges the White Walker's hits, bit by bit, begging to find a new weapon. He finds another sword and tries to swing, but the White Walker's spear shatters that one as well.

He knocks Jon down, this time with his foot, sending him flying out of the cabin and into the snow. Jon grunts as he stands, struggling to get up, running to pick up Longclaw in the distance. His eyes were blurry. His vision was scare. Everything was starting to hurt. He tries to grab his sword just as the White Walker's footsteps are approaching closer, and closer, and closer.

Finally, his fingers secure itself tightly enough around the sword, swinging it above his head with a yell to match the hit of the White Walker, his spear aiming downwards. But instead of something shattering, he is shocked when he hears a solid * _clang*_ of metal.

Jon stares in surprise – and apparently, so does the White Walker – when Longclaw completely stops the White Walker's spear. Jon uses this to his advantage and tries to hit the creature. He dodges one swing but Jon parry's his move and swings once more, this time through his middle, and the White Walker shatters to pieces as Longclaw clears right through.

He falls to the ground, breathing heavily. His eyes look to the cabin, now completely in flames, the dragonglass lost. He looks back to the cliff, seeing one figure now, staring down at him. The gaze penetrates his mind, his soul. And instantly, he stands, trying to regain his strength. One thought on his mind.

' _Dany._ '

He stumbles towards the shore again, coughing up blood from the fight. He feels himself stumble with each movement. He sees Karsi suddenly get overrun by wight children, who begin to devour her flesh. Tormund was struggling against his own wights, being forced to move back. He sees Edd try to get him up, his gaze hazy, but he refused to leave. No. Not without her. _Not without her._

A sudden screech comes from the top of the cliff. He feels his heart stop as hundreds of wights start to suddenly comes down, charging at them. The snow thickens. He could barely see them. They start to go after the remaining survivors. Edd was gone. The snow had taken him away as well as the others. Even if he did stay someone had to get the others to safety. Jon sat on the ground, the snow turning red beneath him. Longclaw somehow found its way out of his hands again due to the snow, but his body felt far too weak.

The gate crashes down as wights start to overtake it. He sees another White Walker appear, and Jon feels himself start to accept death. This was it. This was how he died. He failed in protecting her. He failed himself. He could barely even stand. How-

"Hey!"

The voice stuns him. He turns just in time to see Longclaw suddenly get heaved up and slashed into the White Walker that appeared in front of him. The creature shatters to pieces and Jon waits just in time to see the ice clear and see _Daenerys_ standing there, heaving, holding Longclaw tightly - hair completely a mess, blood streaming down from her forehead, but _alive._

She had _saved him._

"D…Dany," he whispers.

She drops Longclaw and races over to him, trying to help him stand. "We have to-"

There was a sickening * _chreech*_ as a weapon was hurled through someone's stomach, and Jon looks down just in time to see Daenerys standing stark still, her face paling as she looks numbly down, where the tip of an ice-blade sword protruded from her chest. Blood begins to pool at her furs, and at her mouth as she falls to her knees.

Jon screams as she's suddenly thrown across the field, the snow becoming tainted red. The White Walker that had done so smirks at him as he's kicked back, but Jon fights the urge to give in and races over to her, the snow almost feeling like an impossible mountain to climb. He collapses where she laid, turning her over to face him. There was blood trickling from her lips, and her violet eyes look up to him, desperate.

"Th…there were ch…children…" she stutters, tears leaving her as she coughs in pain. For a moment, he was lost, but then it clicked – that's where he had lost her, because of the children who were left behind. She had gone after to get them to the boats. "J…Jon…."

"Don't apologize. Save your strength," he whispers urgently. "Stay _alive_."

"I…"

The life was fading from her eyes. He turns his head and feels his anger almost envelope him, staring at the White Walkers and the wights that were hurtling towards him. He could hear people screaming. Hear Tormund yelling for him. He holds Daenerys tightly against him, almost embracing for impact, for death to take them both. What else would he be able to do? He was too weak to run to the water, and she was in too much pain - there was _nothing_ for him except the icy cold hands of the White Walkers.

And then suddenly, there's a * _screech*_ that shakes him to his core. He looks up just in time to see a rainbow of fiery red, orange and yellow flames come barreling down at the wights that were hurling towards him, setting every single last one of them on fire. Jon's eyes clear as the fog starts to move, and he sees that it was a _dragon._

It was one of _Dany's_ _dragons._ It had _found her._

Her head moves slightly, her eyes widening a bit despite her injuries when her dragon lands on the snow, breathing fire against everything that ran at them. Jon looks over at the boats finally, seeing them staring, dumfounded, completely in shock, but rowing away, safely from the shore. The giant – Wun Wun, Jon hears Tormund call him – runs into the water to join them, knocking wights off of him. The dragon burns them as they come forward.

The beast was enough to scare off the White Walkers far away, grabbing their weapons. Jon looks to see the leader looking at the dragon with a scowl, but doesn't respond. That was it. That was the leader. The fucking Night King. That was the name of him. And this was it. He was the one who controlled all of this. He was the one Jon had to _kill._

The dragon turns its head to him, their beady eyes narrowed. He knew _instantly_ what they were thinking. ' _Are you the fucker that did this to my mother?!'_

"We have to get her out of here," he speaks pleadingly, almost maddingly, as if this dragon could understand him. But it was worth every shot he had. Daenerys was _dying._ "Please, help me, boy." He was _begging._

The dragon glares at him before letting out a roar, one that shook the ground, before suddenly grabbing Jon. He almost thinks the beast is about to eat him but instead, he's lifted up with Daenerys in his arms, and the dragon places him on his back. Within seconds and without giving him fucking _any_ time to adjust, the dragon takes off into the sky. Jon tries desperately to hold onto anything he could while also keeping a grip on Daenerys, trying not to have a panic attack. Good _gods,_ he was _flying._

He stares down at the water where the boats were, and then back at the corpses of the thousands of lives lost. The dragon suddenly settles at the top of a cliff. He sees multiple eyes from the brothers down below and the wildlings alike stare in shock at him and who he was holding, but Jon's focus was entirely on the Night King.

He walks to the edge of the dock, while the wights that still remained started to kill off the light of the wildlings that remained. He stares at Jon, and Jon stares right back. The Night King turns around and looks to the carnage that sat on the shore, from edge to edge, before he looks back to Jon. His hands begin to rise slowly.

Jon sees the dead wildlings begin to twitch, as well as the wights they had just killed, some even of the burnt ones. And within seconds, many of their eyes snap open, revealing them to blue, as cold as ice. Karsi, who had been overrun by the wildlings turns her head, eyes now as blue as the sky above her. They all stand, joining the Night King's army. And he smirks at Jon, a sinister smirk so vile it almost makes him vomit.

He turns his back, joining his followers, as Jon came to a sickening realization. Death only made his army stronger…death only made his army grow.

They needed to figure out how to beat this _fucker_. Somehow.

He quickly looks down at Daenerys, seeing her still, her furs now drenched in her blood, her hair soaking with it as well. He looks to his men and prays they make it to the ships okay. He prays they make it to the Wall alright if he doesn't see them. But right now, _fuck_ his duty. He needed to save Dany.

"Um…Drogon?" he tries out. The black dragon lets out another mighty roar. Thank the gods he got it right. "Take us somewhere warm. Please. We need to heal her. Something." The dragon doesn't move. Jon curses. What was that phrase Dany had taught him randomly? What did they use to command the dragons back then? "Uh…. Sōvegon!"

The dragon lets out a screech and Jon sees him flap his wings once, twice, before sending them off into the sky. He holds on as tightly as he can, making sure to keep Daenerys warm against him, trying to hold onto hope.

"You're going to be okay," he tries to reassure her unconscious form softly. "You're going to be okay." But, even if he tried to remain strong, the tears still found a way to break through. He couldn't lose her. _Not like this._ "We're going somewhere warm. You're going to be safe."

And all he could do was pray that Drogon understood where he needed to go. He needed to. For them. For _her._ He would _not let her die._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean the dragon had to show up at some point, ya know? 
> 
> I hope you all don't hate me too much for that ending lol everything will have an explanation, I promise haha but yeah definitely loved writing this. Hardhome was always one of my absolute favorite episodes so I wanted to get this out for you all as soon as possible. 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as they always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you all. You've all been so freaking amazing with your feedback on the story so please continue if you can and I'll make sure to get these chapters out as soon as possible - you all are so amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join us on our little story adventure and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! :)
> 
> Next up: Jon takes Daenerys somewhere to try and save her. Hope looks lost. And Drogon is not a happy camper.


	8. A Fortnight Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon tries to save Daenerys from her wounds after the battle of Hardhome - and soon, makes a startling discovery out near the forest trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My guys, I don't even know where this chapter came from lmfao I fucking speed wrote this because this is the longest chapter this story has had so far, so I hope you all enjoy it lol there's A LOT of fluff in this so be prepared, and some really cool realizations so I hope it makes up for the cliffhanger from last chapter. Your response was absolutely amazing and I loved every single second of it, so thank you all for being such amazing people! I hope you enjoy this chapter and quick update! :)
> 
> Btw, this chapter is dedicated to WhiteDragonWolf - thank you for being an amazing friend and constantly commenting and being so supportive in this community. We're all with you. <3

_Jon_

" _Fuck, fuck, **fuck**!"_

Those were the words that Jon kept repeating to himself as they took flight, soaring through the freezing cold skies of the North. He had absolutely no idea where Drogon was taking him, nor how to even stop this thing from flying. But what he did know was that Daenerys was still in his arms, and the longer they stayed flying, the higher chance they had of her _dying._

They fly for a little longer, Jon trying to spot _anything_ down below that might help them. The trees start to grow thick, and soon, Drogon begins to make his descent among a clearing. In the distance, Jon could see cabins that reminded him of long-ago missions, almost of Craster's Keep. But that cabin had been burned long ago. He could even see the ashes of the long-forgotten cabin, the burnt pieces of wood.

But, if he recalled from conversations with Gilly, she had said there were cabins close to Casters that they had used for…procedures. One of which she had helped one of the girls give birth in long ago. And if that was the case, then just fucking _maybe_ he'd be able to find something to help Dany.

Drogon lands not that far from a cabin, and Jon quickly tries to maneuver his way off of the beast while keeping a whole on Dany's body. The moment he hits the ground, the dragon growls menacingly at him, its teeth showing as he snarled. Jon feels himself sigh before turning to look at the creature.

"Look, I don't know where the _fuck_ you have been since Dany has been here," he snaps – a part of him couldn't believe what he was doing. He was _snapping_ to a fucking _dragon._ If his father could see him now. "But I've been taking care of her this whole time. _Me._ And I _know_ this is on me as well, so just let me _try_ and save her!"

The dragon lets out another low snarl but then moves his head, this time allowing Jon to run ahead. He exhales breathlessly and heaves Dany close in his arms, trying to run to the nearest cabin through the thick snow. He kicks open one of the doors, trying to remember what Gilly had said. She had mentioned there were sewing supplies, bandages in a…fuck, what was it? A…a closet!

Jon quickly brings her over to the bed, tying the fur he had removed from himself to stop the bleeding around her middle tighter against her skin, before rushing over to the closet in the corner. He fumbles through everything, trying to see if he could find a kit, a needle, _anything_ that he could use against her skin. His fingers were shaking as he moved junk after junk, seeing nothing but dust. But as he reaches forward towards the back, hope starting to leave him, he finally sees something that brought it back. A small box.

He quickly pulls it out and yanks open the top, before letting out a silent thanks to the gods above. There inside was a needle and thread. He grabs a cloth and wipes the needle as quickly as he could so that it would be clean enough to help her, before rushing back over to her. He could see how pale her face was, how the lightness of her cheeks had seemed to disappear. How even her lips seemed to be blue now. Fuck, he was running out of time.

There was a fireplace in the corner. Jon quickly heads outside and grabs multiple logs that had been resting at the edge of the cabin, throwing them into the fireplace. He starts to light one up, not even bothering to think of the actual dragon that was outside. But he doubted he'd be able to control that. He didn't even know how he had found Dany, but he wasn't complaining.

Sparks start to emerge from the sticks a moment later and fire comes through. Jon quickly stands and runs over, grabbing a knife that had been resting at the edge of a basin before bringing it to the fire, quickly heating it up. This was the only surefire way to stop the bleeding right now. Once that was done, he could focus on the stitching.

He needed to calm his heart because, with each step he took, he felt like he would have a heart attack. He couldn't let her die. He _couldn't._

Jon quickly feels the metal and lets out a sigh of relief when the burning touch is ignited before he runs over to where she laid. He pulls off the furs as quickly as possible, the one he had wrapped around her as well as her own drenched ones, all the way down to her smallclothes. On a normal day, he'd be quite embarrassed to be seeing her like this but this was a matter of life or death. And he really wanted the previous.

The blood had completely soaked through her small clothes. He removes her top just enough so that he could see the wound and he feels himself breathe shakily. There was a clear hole, directly from her back to her front. There was enough blood that someone would mistake her for giving birth. It was horrible. But he needed to stop thinking of that. She was _still_ bleeding, if possible. He was going to make sure it _stopped._

Jon quickly swallows and then places the hot metal to the insertion of where the sword had gone through. Her body doesn't react, but he does see that skin begins to tingle and sizzle underneath her. He holds it for a couple of seconds, watching the wound carefully, and when he pulls back, he stares at her skin in complete shock.

The bleeding had stopped on this side – miraculously – but her skin was not burned. Whatsoever.

"What the…" His words trail off as he stares at her, trying to process what he was seeing, before pushing that down. He needed to do the other side, too. He couldn't let his own shock stop him from getting what needed to be done, _done._ So, he quickly turns her on her side to have access to her back, heats up the knife once more, and does the same movement to the entry point near the middle of her back, stopping the bleeding. Same reaction, no burning.

He doesn't question it this time, however, and starts to focus on her wounds now that the bleeding was stopped, taking the needle and thread.

"I was never trained to sew," he mutters to himself but imagines he's talking to her. He had to because if he didn't he would go mad. "So if my stitching job is bad, I apologize."

With that, he starts to focus on her wounds, trying to move as carefully and nimbly as he could. He never thought he would be jealous of Sansa's sewing skills _ever,_ but boy what he wouldn't give for his little sister right now.

* * *

It takes him a little less than a half-hour to properly secure the wounds around her gashes, making sure that they were tied tightly. He could see that with the stitches a bit of the blood from the cauterizing would leak out, but nothing that gave him too much concern. Of course, when he was done, it wasn't like she woke up, but he felt a bit better now.

And when he was finished, he sat on the edge of the bed, just watching her.

He couldn't help but think back to everything that she had done, or that he had done, that had lead up to this. Her being on her death bed in a cabin remotely beyond the Wall, and him trying to somehow save her. How she had tested Thorne's patience on the first day at the Wall. How she had made him feel like a leader when everyone else had undermined him. How she had run off to go save children, and that's what had been her doom.

Normally he'd probably be angry at someone for doing that, for running off so recklessly to save someone else's life over their own, but at the same time, he wasn't. Not at her. Because that's the way she was. She always cared about the innocent over herself. If she didn't, Barristan wouldn't be down near Winterfell trying to get his sister back.

He just wished he had seen the White Walker that did this to her. If he had just opened his eyes and gotten _up_ in time, he might have been able to stop this. But he didn't. Because he had been weak. He had been slow. He had given in. And he hated it. He hated himself for what he had done. This was on him.

He feels himself start to shake and he stands, shaking his head. He needed to somehow keep his mind occupied. He had to. So, he heads over to the fire, trying to make it as warm as possible in this cabin so it could keep her warm. He had grabbed the furs and placed them on top of her, as well as his own so that her body could retain some heat, but fire itself would probably help more.

As he stared at the flames, starting to build, he recalls a story that Daenerys had told him one night, about how her dragons were born. When she had emerged from flames, unscathed, with them at her side. She had said it was because of magic, or blood sorcery from that witch. But Jon had a feeling that had stuck around. There was no other reasonable explanation as to why her skin hadn't burnt. He supposed that was just another fascinating thing about the dragon queen.

Gods, what if he killed her?

Jon swallows and looks over at her body. He stands up from the fire, now roaring in the small fireplace, before taking a seat at the edge of the bed once more, this time in the spot near her head. Her beautiful silver hair was still caked in blood from the fight. There were more scars at the edge of her face now – one that even seemed to be a small bite mark, probably from a wight long ago, but was healing now. He had been terrified to check. He had wanted to believe she was alive. He hadn't bothered. His nerves had taken over him. She could be gone still.

But, even so, he tries to feel for a pulse, _anything_ to show that she was alive. And faintly – _very_ faintly – he felt the tiniest little pitter-patter in her wrist.

He lets out the biggest sigh of relief he could probably ever feel and instantly, tears start to come at his eyes. "Thank the fucking gods," he whispers, shutting his eyes closed in gratitude and bringing his face into his hands. There was still somehow life in her. Just barely. But he knew it. He knew his dragon queen would hold on. Because that's who she was.

But he couldn't get ahead of himself. Just because a small pulse was there meant nothing. She could _easily_ die in the middle of the night. Or tomorrow. Or the next day. He had to make sure she lived, somehow. And by the gods above and below he would give everything he had to somehow do it.

He looks down at her and then reaches down, trying to run his hands through her matted hair, to somehow make it a bit less dirty than before. The moment he touches it, he feels a thousand emotions hit him all at once. Both of them had nearly died. He had almost lost his promise. Thank the gods for fucking Drogon.

"I'll have to thank that dragon of yours," he whispers, swallowing back his tears again. "Saved our behinds…we have a chance now, Dany. A real chance."

Of course she doesn't respond. Her face was still pale. Her eyes shut. No movement at all. But he feels himself start to feel hope a bit more again. Not too much, but enough to get him through the freezing cold winds that dared to get in through the outside.

* * *

On the second day in the cabin, he goes out to hunt.

When she doesn't wake up – and it wasn't like he was truly expecting her to, but he could at least hope – he realizes they were going to be here for a while, most likely. So he grabs an older looking bow and arrow to find something to skin and eat over the fire. Jon honestly couldn't even remember the last time he had gone hunting – possibly when he was still with the wildlings. But he knew he needed food.

Daenerys was still in far too bad of a condition for them to travel. He wasn't about to risk it. And he also had no idea if he would even be able to get back on Drogon without her help. Not like he wanted to – that flight had been amazing but also terrifying.

Even so, that wasn't what was on his mind right now. What needed to do was find food.

So, he had left her in the cabin, the doors completely sealed shut as best as he could with the fire running so she would be warm, and went out deep into the woods. Soon, he saw a pack of deer, not that far away from where they were. He aimed his bow at one, taking his time to make sure that the direction was there, before letting the shot fly.

It soars through the air and lands right in the eye of a buck, while the other deer run away in fright.

Jon sighs as he heaves the deer up onto his shoulders, bringing him towards the cabin as quickly as he could. As he did, his mind would think back to the only archer he had come to know truly. Ygritte.

He remembered when she had died…the helplessness he had felt. The anger that had surged through him. The disappointment in the paths they had taken. She had been his first love, that was true. But as the year had gone by, and she had started to fade more from his memory, he realized that it was only a matter of time before the two of them had killed each other.

She hated the brothers. The brothers hated the wildlings. He had left her for his duty. And he didn't regret that. Because he _knew_ it was where he was meant to be at the time.

But with Daenerys…everything felt so different.

She hadn't even died from the impact of the sword, but he swore that he had never felt so helpless as he did holding her body in his arms. He had never felt more pain, more rage, more _anything_ than seeing her bleeding out in front of him. It had almost killed _him._ He didn't even think he'd be able to stand after that.

And now, with her being in the state she was in, he felt at least _some_ hope that she would awaken soon. That he would be able to see her violet eyes again. That he would be able to hold her in his arms and thank the gods that she was alive and breathing.

This would sound horrible…but Jon was thankful Ygritte was dead. There had been so many things that would have lead them to separate as much as he had cared for her, but with Daenerys here, he didn't think she'd let her live for a second. Tormund was at least a man who gave people a chance – Ygritte had taken some time to warm up to just him. He could only imagine what she would have done to Dany.

And if he was being honest, he cared far more for Daenerys than he thinks he did about _anyone._ More than himself. Maybe it could be shared with Arya when she was a young girl, but he had no idea if she was even alive now.

He swallows down his feelings as he arrived back at the cabin, lowering the stag onto a table he had cleared, grabbing a knife. He glances over at Daenerys again, just to see if anything had changed, but she still laid on the bed, completely still. As he expected.

He sighs softly and then turns to the meat, cutting it up as quickly as he could, skinning the sides so that he might be able to make something for himself…and maybe have something for her if – _when_ she awoke.

* * *

On the third day, he searches for water and finds a lake, not that far from the cabin. He sees fish deep within and attempts to catch some, but they slip easily from his hands. He had never been good with fishing – they never had a lot of water near Winterfell. More snow.

He had taken a bucket with him and filled it up best he could before lugging it back to the cabin so they would have something to drink. Daenerys still laid silent, unmoving, but her chest slowly moved up and down – barely visible, but enough for him.

Jon would take the water in a cup, holding it over the fire to heat it up to somehow keep him warm. He had picked up some leaves that he thought smelt nice from a bush not that far away, deciding that now he would make tea – it was better than freezing cold water.

And, as soon as he brings the wooden cup to his lips, smelling the citrus and mint from the nearby bush that seemed to allure him, he realized something with a start that nearly makes him drop the beverage.

He. _Forgot, Longclaw._

"Son of a fucking _bitch_!" he curses, lowering the cup to the ground and running his hands through his dark curls, the back of his head hitting the wall in frustration as he slumped against it.

He had completely forgotten about it. He hadn't even thought about the sword because he had been taking care of Dany. But now that he remembered, he knew exactly when they had lost it. Right after Dany had used it to stab the White Walker, and she had been stabbed in return, she had dropped it onto the ground. When she had been thrown, he had abandoned the sword, wanting to get to her first.

Then the storm swelled. And the wights came at them. And the dragon appeared. And Longclaw was _lost._

" _Fuck,_ " he whispers to himself now, running his hands through his hair. How dumb had he been?

And that was it too. He had been so weak to realize it then and wanted to find somewhere safe to get both of them, but that was another weakness. _Valyrian Steel._

It wasn't like they could do much about it. If Longclaw was fucking _lost,_ he had no other sword of that nature. He was almost positive his father's had been melted down. And he didn't know of anyone else that had one. So that knowledge was completely useless to him now…but at least he knew.

"Better than nothing," he mumbles, glancing over at where Daenerys laid still. He bites his lip and smiles a bit. "Wish I could get you a Valyrian sword…I think it would look well on you."

He glances at the ground, sighing. If he kept talking to her unconscious body, he was quite sure _he_ would go mad, actually. Maybe it was better to stop for the timebeing.

* * *

On the fifth day, he needs air.

He had been in the cabin for several days, with still no sign of her waking up. And it wasn't like he was losing the hope that had built-up – but he was getting close. He had heard of stories of people who had stayed unconscious for years after injuries. He prayed that she wasn't one of them.

But, at a certain point, staying in the cabin had gotten to him, and he stepped out, letting her inhabit all of the warm air she could possibly desire. He thought about many things along his walk, certain situations that hadn't crossed his mind yet due to him taking care of her.

He thought about his brothers, the ones who he had trusted, and who had come with him to Hardhome. They all surely knew who Daenerys was after seeing him hold her, seeing her destroy the White Walker, seeing the fucking _dragon_ come down from the heavens above and swing them up onto his back like they were two big bags of potatoes.

What would they say when they did come back – if they ever did go back, honestly? And what would happen if they didn't? If she was always sleeping? If he was forced to stay out here and take care of her until her withering body gave away? Gods, he didn't want to think about that.

He thought about the wildlings and the brothers that were at the Wall that didn't agree with his decision to bring them. Would they let them in without him? Was Karsi right before her death? Was all of this in vain because he wasn't there to enforce those orders? Or would they obey them for their own lives? Or did they even _care_?

He thought about Barristan. Gods, Barristan.

That man was going to skin him alive if he and Daenerys made it back to the Wall. He had been assigned to protect her, and look where it had gotten them? She was on a bed practically clinging onto life somehow, and he was trying to get her through the blizzards that regularly passed through his area. He would make sure Jon would have his head cut off, and then feed it to Dany's dragon.

He wondered about where he was right now. If he had made any progress with Sansa at Winterfell. If they were on their way back now. Gods, he hoped not. He didn't want the first time he saw Dany again to be with blood caked in her hair.

When he walks towards the lake, he was surprised to see Drogon standing in the corner, tearing into a dear he had most likely caught before. The moment he sees Jon he lets out a low growl, but does nothing else. Jon rolls his eyes and walks over, sitting against the edge of the lake, far away from the dragon _just_ in case.

The dragon lets out another growl. Jon turns to look at him.

"You know, you can growl at me all you want, but all your growling isn't going to bring her back." He glances at the water, bringing his knees to his chest, resting his head atop of them. "I want her to wake up, too."

There's no growl this time. Jon was thankful for that.

As he stared at his reflection in the water, he couldn't help but wonder what had led him all to this. A man – who was young compared to the past – being a leader of a band of brothers, where half of them despised his choices. He's given a queen to protect, and she's stubborn as fuck, and there's nothing he can do so he embraces her, teaches her, grows bloody _feelings_ for her, and then ends up nearly getting her killed fighting _his_ threat.

He feels like his father would be ashamed of him.

It's the fifth day that he cries. He lets out all of the emotions he had been burying, trying to stay strong for her. But now, alone near the lake, where snow was beginning to fall once more, and the wind rushed against his face angrily, there was no denying the tears that escaped. And they kept coming, and coming, and coming.

He cried for he didn't know how long. For the possible loss of her. For his failure as a protector. For his mistake in not being able to convince more people. It was his fault. _Everything_ felt like his fault.

When his eyes did begin to clear, however, and the sniffles started to die, he could see that Drogon had actually made his way over to Jon. There was no growling coming from him. The large dragon was actually looking at him with his beady eyes narrowed, as if assessing if he could be trusted.

But it seemed the moment he saw his tears, shared for Drogon's mother, the dragon sat on the ground, a bit closer to him but still far, and let his head sit on the snow. Jon feels almost a ghost of a smile come on his lips. His interactions almost reminded him of a Ghost, in a way.

"You miss her," he mumbles. The dragon lets out a huff of air, closing its eyes. "I miss her too." He glances back at the lake. "You're a far way from home. It's probably freezing for you here."

The dragon doesn't respond but instead starts to breathe fire at the lake, letting out a roar. Fish start to pile up as they die, and the water becomes hot. Once the fire was out, Jon raises an eyebrow at the dragon, who turns his head away. The fish begin to float to shore, dead as doornails.

"Well…that'll work for dinner," he mutters. He reaches into the water carefully, almost expecting the water to burn his skin off. But this time…when he reaches in, he doesn't feel that much pain. There was warmness, for sure, but it didn't fully hurt him. His brow furrows in surprise, but he doesn't question it. He was just hungry. Maybe it really wasn't that hot.

He grabs a couple of the fish and puts them into a bag, before glancing over at Drogon. He takes a fish out and throws it to the dragon. Instantly, he catches it in his mouth, chewing it.

"I know it's not a lot but hopefully that'll hold you over until you find your next meal…heat up the bath for your mother the next time she's awake, yeah?" he asks the dragon. Drogon again doesn't look at him but continues to munch on the fish. Jon lets out a quiet sigh. Well, at least it seems they had come to a truce, of sorts.

And with that, and a bag of roasted fish in his hands, he heads back to the cabin.

* * *

On the seventh day, he looks for more wood.

He had been burning the fire nonstop. Honestly, he was surprised no one that could have been beyond the Wall had seen the smoke that would constantly rising from the chimney. But it was always to somehow keep her warm. But sooner or later, that had run out as well, and he had needed to find more.

Drogon was off hunting as well, so it wasn't like he could rely on the dragon to cut down a couple of trees. Shame for him.

Even so, he managed to find an ax from the shed, using it to cut down some trees nearby for enough wood for at least another couple of days. It was one way of trying to keep warm in the cold temperatures – pure labor. He honestly wished they did more of this at the Wall. He needed to find ways to keep warm more.

When he comes back, however, he feels himself stop once he sees that the _door was open._

Jon instantly drops the wood and races towards the door, throwing it even more open as he looks inside. There, he sees that the bed was _empty._ Daenerys was _gone._

Panic starts to seep in as he runs back outside. He yells out, "Dany!" multiple times, trying to see if he can get a response, but there was nothing. He runs around to the other side of the cabin, into the trees, the snow, trying to find something. And then suddenly, everything stops.

There, standing at the edge of a hill, was a body staring out into the open, as Drogon soared above the clouds, looking for food. Jon runs over, breathing heavily, but only one word leaves his lips.

"…Dany?"

The body turns her head, and he feels every single part of him exhale. There she stood, wobbling, her stunning violet eyes staring at him in confusion, but _alive._ Daenerys was _alive._ She was standing right there and-

She doesn't speak. Her eyes close and she faints.

Jon quickly runs forward and grabs her before she could fall off the cliff, holding her in his arms. Her eyes were closed again, but for the first time in forever, he sees color return to her cheeks. He sees her eyes move underneath her lids, signaling her life. He feels her body _move._ And he didn't think he had ever been happier.

"You're going to be okay," he whispers to her, holding her close. And on the seventh day, he cries again. But this time, they were tears of joy.

* * *

On the eighth day, Daenerys awakens again, and Jon was sitting right there, waiting for the moment to happen.

She couldn't speak. She gestured to the water, and he quickly brought it over, helping her drink slowly. When she signals for him to stop, her eyes open groggily, looking around the cabin before back at him, brow furrowed. Her hand rests above the wound.

"Wh…where are we?" she croaks out.

"We're in a cabin, beyond the Wall," he answers softly. He didn't want to push too much noise on her yet. He could still clearly see the confusion in her eyes. "Drogon brought us here. He saved us from the wights at Hardhome."

He sees her eyes light up slightly at Drogon's name. "He's…he's here? That really happened?"

"It did…I think he missed his mother," he whispers.

A soft smile comes over her lips before she glances down, removing the furs a bit to see the gash that was slowly healing along her skin. She cringes when she sees it, before looking back at him once more. "How…how bad was this? I barely remember a…anything that happened."

Jon sighs and glances at the ground. "It was bad, Dany. I didn't think you'd make it. If it wasn't for Drogon finding us, I…I don't know what would have happened." He looks back at her and takes her hands in his. "But he did…he came to us and saved us…picked us both up in his mouth and put him on his back. It was…terrifying." He sees her chuckle and then cringe in pain, closing her eyes.

"Gods, don't make me laugh, it hurts too much," she rasps.

"Sorry," he instantly states, bringing the furs back up to cover her. "The wounds I cauterized to stop the bit of bleeding that was happening. I sewed up the rest…you're probably going to have an ugly scar after all this. Not going to look very queenly."

Daenerys smiles and shrugs her shoulders. "Everyone gets battle scars." She lets out a low breath and sighs. "I…I think I _did_ die, Jon."

His brow furrows for a moment. "But when I checked you-"

"I might have come back when you…checked me, but when I passed out on Hardhome I…I didn't remember a thing. And all I can remember was…blackness. Nothing. It was so cold." Her fingers ghostly come up to touch the wound that sat along her skin. "I was almost like I could… _feel_ that arse…the touch of his blade, how cool it was…I have a feeling that they _wanted_ me." She looks back up at him. "The leader of all of that…he was staring at me constantly through the fight."

"He was doing the same to me," Jon admits.

Daenerys swallows and glances away. "What do you think that means?"

He was quiet for a moment, taking the furs and settling them more on her. "I…I think, for now, it means nothing." He brings a hand up to her cheek, cupping it softly. She looks up at him. "For now, all that matters is that you get better. You stay _alive._ That way when Barristan comes to pick me up, I'm not burnt to a crisp by one of your dragons."

Dany smiles at that but doesn't say anything. She lets out a low breath and he helps her head against the pillow. "What about everyone else?" she asks him. "The wildlings, the brothers…are they okay?"

"I don't know," he answers honestly. "I haven't stayed up to date with them. We've been here for a week."

"A _week_?!" she asks in shock.

"You haven't woken up, Dany. I was terrified to move you. We needed to wait. And we still do. I don't know how you randomly stood outside yesterday."

She bites her lip and glances away. "I felt…I don't know, lost when I woke up? You weren't there and then I saw Drogon and I _really_ thought I was dead." He sees a quiet smile come over her lips once more. "Gods…he's really here? Can I see him?"

Jon bites his lip and then quietly shakes his head. "I think you should rest for a day. I'll bring you to him tomorrow, okay?" She seems to want to protest, but he quickly turns that off. "Dany, I have been worrying my arse off this whole entire week. I finally see you awake and I want you to rest before you do anything else. Is that too much to ask? Please?"

She doesn't respond for a moment but then nods quietly. "Alright…I can do that for you."

"Good." Her eyes avoid his as he goes to grab some food from the pot, bringing over some boiled fish for her. When he comes to the bed again, he sees tears appear in her eyes. Before he could question what was wrong, she breaks.

"I'm sorry for disobeying you," she whispers. "I know I was supposed to stay by your side by there were wights bringing down a house and I could _hear_ their screams…I had to do something, Jon. I had to…I only wanted…I only…" She starts to cry. Jon feels his heart splinter. He lowers the bowl and takes her gently into his arms, rubbing her back.

She buries her head against his chest, tears soaking his furs. But he couldn't care less. "It's alright, Dany," he murmurs. "It's alright."

* * *

On the ninth day, he takes her outside.

He had been keeping an eye on her throughout the day before, making sure she ate, drank, got any source of sustenance in her body. She slept for most of the day after their conversation and then would wake up for food and to 'hear his voice,' apparently. If that didn't bring a smile to his lips, he didn't know what would.

But, when the sun rose, and he could her Drogon above them, looking for food, he decided that Daenerys was right. He was her child – she had a right to see him, especially since without the dragon, both of them would be gone.

So in the morning, he brings her up, helps her stand. She was still a bit wobbly from the day before, but stronger on her legs this time. He makes sure the furs were wrapped tightly around her, before taking her out into the snow. "I don't see him right now," she had muttered, but he had assured her that he knew where he had gone.

They make their way through a clearing of trees, trying to find the path towards the lake he had visited multiple times now. When they arrived, he could see the familiar black head resting at the edge of the lake. There was a certain joy that lit up in Dany's eyes. She nearly broke away from Jon's steady hold on her to run to the dragon, but he was firm when he said he wanted to make sure she didn't accidentally hurt herself again.

When he brings her close to Drogon, however, only a couple of feet away, he lets her go and nudges her forward. Drogon lifts his head when he does so, looking at his mother. "Go on. He wants to see you," Jon encourages her softly.

Daenerys smiles at him before turning her gaze back to Drogon, approaching him slowly. "My boy," she whispers, coming forward. "Gods, you've gotten so big. It's been so long." Drogon tilts his head at her as she approaches him. "How did you even find us? It's a miracle." She reaches forward, holding out her hand to him. Drogon doesn't move. "Are you still upset with me? From all those years ago?"

The dragon doesn't move still. She takes a couple more steps forward, holding out her hand. When she was only a couple of inches away from the dragon, she reaches forward and lays her hand gently on his snout. The dragon closes its eyes. Jon could swear heard the damn thing purr.

Daenerys smiles brightly as he did so, running her smooth fingers along the scales of the dragon. "That's my boy," she whispers, her voice choked up. She turns to look at Jon. "Come here!"

"Ah…" Jon looks at the dragon wearily. While he and Drogon seemed to have come to an understanding, he hadn't dared gone this close to the dragon since they had arrived at the cabin, for fear of getting eaten. "I don't think that's a great idea."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "Jon, if he wanted to hurt you, he would have done it already. Please, come here," she urges gently.

Jon looks at her intent gaze and then back at the dragon, who was staring at him, almost egging him on. ' _You gonna listen to her?_ ' and of course he was because Jon was a fool.

His feet move before his mind says yes, and he arrives at her side within seconds. She takes a step back and nods at his gloved hand. "Touch him."

" _What?_ Dany, I'm not-"

"Jon, if he trusts me, he will trust you," she whispers, reaching out and taking his other hand. "Please…this means a lot to me."

Jon looks down at her, seeing her eyes turn worried, her fingers start to fidget with each other. He could see how important this single moment had stood out in her mind. Jon couldn't fight that. And when he went to look at the dragon once more, he could feel his resolve breaking. Well…at least if he bit off his hand he'd be doing it to make this girl happy.

He takes off his glove, the cold air hitting it almost instantly, before bringing it close to Drogon. The dragon's eyes flick to his mother, almost asking for her permission if this was _okay._ She nods, with that same damn smile on her lips, before Drogon's eyes move back to him. Jon closes his eyes for a second when his fingers touch only inches on Drogon's snout, but when there was no intense and snarling chomp of pain, he opens them again.

He brings the full hand onto his snout, and Drogon closes his eyes once more. Jon lets out a huff of a laugh, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "I'm petting a dragon. Fuckin' hell."

Daenerys giggles and nods her head. "You are…you've also ridden one before the dragon queen did."

Jon rolls his eyes and looks over at her. "I wouldn't say I rode him. I barely even knew how to get on. He yanked us up."

"But you still brought us here," she responds, gesturing around. "You kept me safe on his back. You somehow are more Targaryen than me." He feels himself laugh at her words, and he pulls his hand back, grabbing his glove once more.

"I'm sure you'll be flying around on him in no time," he says softly to her, before taking her hand in his. "He's probably hungry though. And you should get back to the cabin."

Daenerys sighs but nods, before reaching over and scratching Drogon's snout once more. When her hand was gone, the dragon takes back off into the sky, most likely on the prowl for his next meal. Daenerys stares in wonder as he flew off, into the trees and out of sight. "I can't believe it," she murmurs before looking back up at him. "He really trusts you."

"Maybe just because you're here."

"Even so…he's never done that to anyone. Not even when he was a baby. He nearly bit off one of my handmaiden's fingers."

"Ah, that makes me feel not worried at all."

"Stop it," she snickers, playfully punching his side at his words. "I just…I mean I've never seen him so…content with someone other than me. That…that means a lot." He sees a switch in her eyes for a quick second, before they go back. "Even so…thank you for taking me out here. I needed that."

Jon smiles and wraps an arm around her, helping her through the mounds of snow. "Of course."

* * *

On the tenth day, she requests a bath.

At first, he had been confused. There was no bathtub in the cabin and he had thought they would wait until somehow making their way back to the Wall, but she had insisted that the lake was fine for what she needed. He had asked what she needed to clean – dumbly – and she had gestured to everything.

So, despite his uncomforting feelings that came while he brought her to the lake, he did so because, in a way, she was right. Her hair was _caked_ in blood and needed water or something to wash it.

When he brings her to the water, he watches as Drogon breathes fire again onto it as he had done a couple of days prior, and steam instantly begins to rise. She looks over at him, nodding at him to come forward. "Can you help me with these? My muscles are really sore."

He swallows but nods, coming up behind her. His fingers make quick work of the fastens that were on the furs, before pulling them off her body. While he had seen her middle when he was working on her wound, he hadn't seen how many other bruises there were on her body. Of course the same area where the wound laid was healing in all of its green and black glory, but he would see multiple other marks along her skin, as well as little slits against it from cuts.

"How many hits did you take?" he mutters once the furs fall down.

She shrugs quietly. "I did whatever I could to get to the children."

Jon nods quietly and turns his head once all of the furs were down to her feet, including her small clothes. It takes every ounce of his willpower to advert his eyes as she sunk her body into the hot lake, until she was completely submerged until only her head remained above, dipping it underneath the water to wash the blood.

He could see dirt start to appear around the lake, as well as the dried blood that comes from her hair, but he took every single willpower in his body to not look at her body. It was different when he was with the other brothers and was constantly surrounded by other men. It was different when she was covered in furs or even small clothes. But now she was _completely_ nude and he was finding it incredibly hard to keep his eyes away.

After a moment though, he does see her body turn out of the corner of his eyes. "You should come in here!"

"Ah, no," he mutters, still looking away.

"Jon, it's so nice."

"It might be but I don't think it would be good."

She was quiet. He sees her cross her arms against her chest. "Is this because of who I am?"

Jon sighs. "Dany, you have to get clean. I'm not going to come in because I'll just be a distraction." He finally looks over at her and feels his shoulders drop. There was a look of disappointment on her face at his words. He didn't want to upset her. But it seemed a second later she pushes that off and turns away, grabbing some more water and pouring it over her head.

He bit his lip and glanced at the water while she washed her skin, before cursing. He _hated_ that he despised seeing her sad.

Jon quickly removes his furs and lets them sit on a rock, debating whether to take off his own smallclothes or not. If he got them wet, they'd be freezing in the cabin. He knew it was better to do this nude than with something on. So, he prays to the gods above and below once more, but this time not for life – that he somehow got out of this with his sanity.

When he steps into the water, he goes as quickly as possible. She turns her head just in time when his lower body sunk below the water. "I knew you couldn't resist me," she jokes.

The sad thing was it wasn't a joke to him, but he pushes that away and grabs some of the water, dipping it over his head. "Don't hold it to you. I'm here because I need to get cleaned too." The hot water spits on his skin, and he had to admit it was heavenly compared to just sitting by the fire in the cabin. "Alright, this does feel good."

"I'm surprised, honestly," she answers, which causes him to look back at her. "I was almost…joking when I said that before. A bit. The water is really hot…I didn't think you'd be able to…stand it."

Jon shrugs. "It feels like a warm bath right now. Haven't had one in years."

He sees her smile at his words before grabbing some water into her hands. He's expecting her to use it on his head, but then instantly throws it in his direction, splashing him on his face. Jon sputters as the water goes into his eyes, while he hears Daenerys laugh from her spot. Once the water clears, he glares at her.

"You want to play that game?" he warns.

"Oh, I'm _so_ scared," she chuckles. Jon instantly uses his arms to wave a giant splash of water towards her, and her eyes widen. He distinctly hears the word "Oh sh-" before she's silenced by a thousand water droplets hitting her at once, to which he laughs.

And in the distance, he could have sworn he saw Drogon roll his eyes at the two of them

* * *

The eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth days went by without delay. When she and Jon had gone back to the cabin after her bath – and his eyes very much so trying to avoid her fucking _stunning_ figure when she walked out – they had stayed in the cabin for the next couple of days. She had started to sleep less and come out with him occasionally when he would go out for food, or to pick up more water.

When they would do this he was starting to be reminded of the times he spent out with the wildlings, hunting with them, finding places to live. Daenerys had sunk into his own routine not that long after him once she had started to walk more again. She was a natural. He knew that it was probably from her time with the Dothraki that she knew how to stay out in the wild so well. He was just used to the cold.

One thing that had been happening each night was the two of them, talking about random little things that they had never brought up before going to sleep. It was about their childhoods, their lives before where they were now. He told her about how he was treated growing up, and what it was like to live as a bastard in Winterfell. She told him about the house in Braavos with a red door, and a lemon tree outside, the only place she had ever felt at home. He wished he could give that to her.

They'd talk about the battles they had been in. He told her about the Battle at the Wall, and how Ygritte had died in his arms. She told him about when she freed the Unsullied and burned their masters – which honestly fit who she was to a T. She told him how the Unsullied chose her to follow after she freed them – even if they had run away she still would have let them. It was astounding, how many people loved this woman.

He was starting to realize why.

And then, when the sun had set and the fire was getting too small, the two of them had settled on another way of warming each other up – sleeping together.

Not in the way many would assume – it was only the two of them in the same bed, holding each other until they both passed out. But in this time, he would watch her as she fell asleep, her breathing beginning to slow until she was nothing but a sleeping figure in his arms. And he'd admire her. He'd look at her healing wounds, the scratches along her face, the freckles that were hidden among her soft skin, the dimple she got when she smiled in her sleep.

And then he'd catch himself, and shut his eyes, trying to get sleep. This wasn't meant for him to see. It was meant for him to keep her safe, and then somewhere down the line, she'd find someone better. Someone who could give her the world. This happened for two nights in a row, and he hoped that when they did get back to the Wall, it would go away once they slept in separate beds once more.

On the eve of the fourteenth day, however, he had found another abandoned cabin, far away from theirs while looking for food. And inside that cabin, he smelt something that was unmistakable – _ale._

He knew that smell very well from the Wall, the only damn drink these men knew how to make. And when he looked for it, he saw that there were two cannisters of the substance sitting on a dusty old counter. He had a feeling that whoever had lived here before had run off, probably either do to Caster, or to the White Walkers. Either way, it was theirs's now.

When he came back to their cabin, he did see Daenerys putting her hair into a braid, trying to make sure it was out of the way. When she saw the canisters, she raises an eyebrow at him. "You went out to get food, not alcohol."

Jon chuckles. "I did find food." He holds up a bag with some dead rabbits he had shot. "But this was in another old cabin. Thought it might be fun to forget about the world a bit." He holds the canister up to her and she takes one sniff before a face appears on her lips, her tongue sticking out.

"Good gods, what is that?"

"Good old ale," Jon chuckles, bringing it up to his lips before taking a big swing. "Ah, gods, it's bitter," he rasps as he lowers it, but the warmness of the drink settled deep within his stomach, filling him up. "But good. To an extent." She still looked hesitant. "What? Little Southern girl can't take a Northern drink?"

Her eyes narrow at him before she snatches the canister away from his hands. "Well, now that you say that, I have to," she mutters, before pulling it slowly to her lips. He watches as she takes one sip and groans, her head hitting the back of the wall as she falls back. "Fuck. That's horrible."

"That's ale," he comments, taking a seat next to her. "If you don't want it, I'll seat it all away."

Dany rolls her eyes but looks at the canister. A long sigh escapes her. "No…no, I think we both need this." She raises the container she had in her hands and gives him the other one. "Cheers."

* * *

Hours pass. The sun had set. The moon had risen. And Jon didn't think he'd laugh as hard as he ever had with Daenerys.

He hadn't realized how much ale was in the canisters, as it was definitely enough to get him _slightly_ drunk. But she…she was a bloody riot. The more she drank – despite the horrible but adorable faces she would make each sip she took at the flavor – she would open up about her life even more. And it turns out, Dany was a _bit_ of a trickster.

When she was younger, and when her brother hadn't been a complete _arse_ to her, she had said she used to play jokes on him. It started out small – spraying lemons in his water to make it taste funny, stuffing socks into his shoes to make them not fit and think he had grown crazily over the night – but as she got older and she got to know more people, she expanded those into the things she would talk about, using her own personality to get what she needed.

"There was one time," she had snickered. "Where I was talking to one of the slavers in Essos, and I completely used his own words against him. He had said 'You must find the door and show your own way out,' and then I had some of the guards take him and shove him towards the door. And then I said his own statement back to him before they kicked him out." She takes another sip of her drink, sighing. "I swear, it's like…I almost feel as if I would be taken more seriously if I were a man…no that's not a feeling, that's a _know._ I know I would." She glances at the window, shaking her head. "Sometimes…I have dark thoughts about these men."

Jon's brow had raised at her words. That was a change in the subject. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I want to…kill them. Burn them. Make sure they never walk again." She looks back at him. "I try _so hard_ to not be my father. To be diplomatic and work out deals, and if someone doesn't agree, we can come to a conclusion together. But these men…they don't seem to want to listen to me, even though I took over _everything_ there. They're adamant. And now, since I've been here for so long, I have _no_ idea what they might be planning."

Jon bites his lip and nods quietly. "Well…if I can offer out my tiniest bit of advice, you _should_ burn them."

Daenerys stares at him in surprise. "Those were words I was not expecting to come out of your mouth. Why?"

Jon shrugs. "You're right. Usually, in the past, I never would have agreed with something like that, but if we're being completely honest, I don't care anymore." He looks back at her. "I've seen the dead rise now. I've seen the worst in men. I've beheaded a man for disobeying my orders – and you were right, a part of me just wanted him dead. If these men are disobeying you despite you trying _every_ single way to not kill them, the only answer is to burn. You have a dragon right there, right outside our door."

Daenerys was quiet, holding her drink tightly in her hands. "You shouldn't be Lord Commander." He looks at her in shock and she adds on. "I mean…I don't believe you should be on the Night's Watch. I'll never believe it." She glances away. "You would aid me so much…aid all of us. You don't care about politics, all you care about is keeping people safe and protected and making the best choice, regardless of who it might affect…that's the power of a true lord. Maybe even a king."

Jon lets out a laugh and shakes his head. "I don't think I could ever be a king."

"You could," she insists softly. "I know you could. Because you care so much about your people. You take in everyone's accounts of what they need, and what you need to do to get that. You fight for what you're passionate in but have a sound mine on what is possible and what isn't. You even wanted to save your people's enemy because you know that life is a bigger threat right now than anything else…that's the sign of a king."

He sees her gaze almost intensify at that, and for a second, he begins to think about it. What would life be like as a king? Someone ruling over thousands, making sure their needs were met, fighting for what he believed in…it sounded like what he did now, just with millions of other people. And if Daenerys was there…that didn't sound so horrible.

But he pushes those fantasies away because that's exactly what they were – fantasies.

"Well…shame I'm a bastard then," he responds quietly.

She doesn't say anything, instead takes another sip of her drink. After a moment, she sighs. "I've pushed off asking this, but the brothers…they know about me now, don't they?"

Jon slowly nods. "I mean…I screamed your name quite loudly when I saw what the White Walker did to you. I'd be shocked if they didn't consider it after a fuckin' dragon came and picked us up." The look of worry was evident on her face, and he reaches over, wrapping an arm around her side. "It's going to be alright. Just because they might know who you are now doesn't mean I'm going to let them hurt you."

Daenerys sighs. "I don't worry about that, honestly. I feel…at least a bit prepared for something like that." She looks back at him. "I worry more about the wildlings and if they were let into the gate. Without you or I…I don't think Thorne would allow it."

Jon bites his lip at her words. "I've been thinking that too," he admits quietly. "I hope they did…and if they didn't, well…I'm not going to put up with him any longer." He looks down at her look of surprise. "What? Just because Thorne might have been sent to the Wall for being a Targ loyalist, it's not going to change my mind about what he did to you, or to me, or anyone. If he's directly disobeyed my orders, I'll kill him. I said I was done taking chances."

"He was a Targaryen loyalist?" she asks in surprise.

"He fought for Rhaegar all those years ago," he responds.

"Wow…I never would have thought." She glances away and chuckles a bit. "Well…I'm glad to see you take initiative so quickly. But we can push that off for now until we get back at the gate." She looks around and then her eyes widen as if suddenly realizing something. "Jon…where's Longclaw?"

She turns to him in shock as he chuckles a bit. "It's, uh…currently still at Hardhome."

" _No._ "

"Yeah," he answers sheepishly. "I didn't even bother to pick it up when you dropped it. I just ran to you."

"Ah, fuck, I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault," he chuckles a bit, turning her away so that she could relax again. "The sword was never mine to begin with. It was originally House Mormont's…I only feel bad about it being lost there but maybe someday I can find it again." He looks down at her once more. "We did find out that there is one other weakness to the White Walkers, though."

"Valyrian Steel," she answers, to which he nods. "Sort of useless info."

"Exactly what I thought," he chuckles a bit. "But good to know."

She turns back around, this time pushing herself up against his chest. He doesn't fight in. Instead, he welcomes her between his legs, wrapping his arms around her as the fire roared. Her head rests underneath his chin. "Imagine if we stayed here."

His brow furrows at her words as he turns to look down at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…just imagine." She glances away and Jon sees her hands come up, pointing towards the door. "We'd somehow make a stove over there, make sure we could cook the food instead of boiling it or completely burning it over the fire. We'd go down to the lake and take baths in it when Drogon would turn it into a hot spring. Then we'd come back up here and sleep together, waiting as the days go by."

He looks at her in confusion. "You'd want that?" he asks in surprise.

"It sounds peaceful compared to what we've been going through," she admits softly.

Jon bites his lip, listening to her words. She was imagining right now, fully thinking of worlds they couldn't have. Maybe he could imagine for a bit too. "Well…I'm not the hugest fan of the cold." Daenerys raises an eyebrow as she turns her head to face him, and he only chuckles, nodding. "In my life, we'd leave this and everything behind, get on Drogon, and never look back."

He sees a slight smile come over her lips. "Go on."

"Well, we'd travel to…Braavos again. We'd find that house with the lemon tree, and the red door, and we'd stay there." He sees a soft smile come onto her lips now, as bright as the moon outside. "Drogon would stay on the outskirts and get his food from passing goats because gods know he's somehow able to keep himself alive…we'd get jobs, like normal people. Maybe I'd work as a sellsword."

Her eyes widen. "That's so dangerous."

"I live for danger," he teases, to which she rolls her eyes. "Maybe you'd work your way up there, finding some way to rule. Your talents are suited for more than just some common seamstress. We'd be happy." She hmms, her fingers messing with each other, looking down at the bed. She bites her lip and turns to him.

"Imagine this…going back… _together._ " He doesn't realize it instantly because he was so focused on her eyes, but she had turned her body so that she was straddling his lap. Even so, he was frozen under her heated gaze. "We'd get on Drogon and fly back to Meereen…we'd take on those slavers and burn them…we'd get more men and come back here…win back Winterfell…win back the throne…you and I. Together."

He had a feeling this wasn't her imagination.

"Dany," he whispers.

"We did our duty, Jon," she pleads softly. "We got the innocent people away from Hardhome. They're going to get to the other side of the gate…and we lost a lot of people along the way but…but we're here, _you_ and _I._ I don't see anyone else here right now besides us two…you can't deny that there's _something_ here." She gestures between the two of them. "Or am I just going mad?"

Jon swallows but nods his head. "You…you aren't." He looks back at her and then slowly moves her so that she sat still on the bed. "You aren't but…but those dreams and imaginations can't happen." He stands up and walks over to the fire, lighting it more. "Even if the wildlings are down here, there's no guarantee that they're going to let them settle that quickly from the Wall. And even so, my sister is going to be coming to Castle Black if everything goes to plan. I can't keep her there."

"She can come with us."

" _Dany._ "

"I'm _serious,_ " She stands up – albeit a little too quickly because she clenches her side. He walks over to her to try and steady her body but she holds up a hand, letting him know she was good. "She can come. Anyone you wanted could come, I just…I don't want to leave you."

Jon comes over to her, resting his hands against her cheeks. He sees tears come from her eyes, trickling down her skin. He wipes one away with the pad of his thumb. "Gods, don't cry for me," he murmurs, to which she responds with a sniffle. "I'm not worth your tears."

"You _are_ though, and the fact that you think you aren't just pisses me off more," she mutters, glancing away. Jon tilts her head up to look at him, however, and he sees that she was avoiding his gaze.

"Dany, you and I both know that this isn't over. Just because we got them away doesn't mean that all of this is going to stop like that. Running away would be…selfish, as much as I hate to say it. You as well as I know we have to prepare both of our people for what is to come, get everyone to safety. Make sure that people are okay…I can't take off to Meereen with you because of that. I told you this…the innocent people _need_ somewhere safe."

She doesn't respond for a moment, but sighs. "I…I know." She glances towards the door. "We're going to have to go back soon, anyway. I know. I'm just…thinking of the mind of a little girl." She glances away and steps back to the bed. "I like to do that sometimes. Wonder what could be."

Jon sees the sadness in her eyes. He wants to push it away. "Besides, you don't want me at your side." He nods towards the door. "There are _thousands_ of better men out there. I'm just the poor bloke you got stuck with seven hundred thousand feet in the air." He walks over to the bed once he sees her look of disinterest. "Come on, there are others. I'm sure Aemon has even told you this."

"Aemon has said he thinks marriage would be the best way to make a political alliance."

"Ah, you see? There's…Stannis." She sticks her tongue out. He chuckles. "Okay. How about the Tyrell's? They have a son."

"Quite sure he prefers the time of men and is locked up for that right now."

"Seven hells," he mutters. "They do that?"

"Sadly."

"Well…maybe someone from House Martell? In Dorne? They'd be a worthy alliance."

"The eldest man was killed. Their youngest is far too young for me."

Jon sighs. "Well, you're not marrying a Greyjoy or an Arryn – both of which are just two horrible options." She chuckles a bit.

Daenerys turns to him. "I have an idea," she whispers. "I could take someone from…House Stark."

His brow furrows. "Bran and Rickon are a bit young. And I'm not sure they're even alive."

"For the gods sake, I mean _you,_ you idiot."

" _Me_? I'm not legitimate. I could ne-"

"I could legitimize you," she suggests softly. "You could be known henceforth as Jon Stark, heir to Winterfell, King Consort to Queen Daenerys. It would make an alliance between the North and the crown, the largest of the seven kingdoms, and you'd be free of your duty's here, given men to fight this war against the dead – it would work _incredibly_ well for you."

Jon runs his hands through his hair, letting his face rest in them. "Dany…I can't."

"What is it that is stopping you?" she questions, her voice growing this time. He could hear the anger. "I am giving you _so_ many free passes to help these people that you care so much about. To help you fight these arses that nearly _killed_ us. And yet you keep saying _no._ Is there something wrong with me?"

"No-"

"Am I not _pretty_ enough for you?"

"Dany-"

"Then _what?!"_

" ** _I don't deserve you!_** " he finally snaps as he stands turning to her, his patience growing thin. She stills at his outburst. "You want to know how many times I've fantasized about this?! Too many to fucking count! But right now we are located in a cabin gods know _where_ from the Wall, and you nearly died because **_I_** couldn't keep an I on you! I nearly let you die fighting my fucking battle and now you want to **_marry me?!_** Are you _mad?!_ I'm fucking _worthless,_ Dany. You deserve someone _better._ Not me."

The woman was silent for a second before standing up from the bed. He could see her own anger in her eyes. "Don't you **_dare_** tell me what I deserve or not," she whispers fiercely to him. "I think you're just a **coward.** "

Jon lets out a laugh before glaring at her. "A _coward?_ And why's that?"

"Because you're so afraid to follow what _you_ want!" she snaps. "I _know_ that you would be doing better somewhere else and you do too but you _constantly_ think that because of your birthright or whatever it is that has happened to you, you don't deserve shit. You're too afraid to step away from your normal life and honestly I hate that about you."

"Yeah? Well, I hate that you're always pushing people into what _you_ want! How do you know that's what _I_ want?!"

"Because you've _told_ me it's what you want!" she yells as she marches up to him, pushing at his chest. "If it's not that, then what the hell _do_ you want?!"

He was breathing heavily, staring down at her. Her feat was beat-red from her anger, but she doesn't move. Their eyes don't stay from the other, her fiery orbs mixed in with violet while his stormy ones stayed relentlessly stuck on hers. He wanted so badly to shut her up, to show her what he _did_ want. To give in to every single little impulse that screamed in his body.

It almost seemed like she did too because her gaze seemed to come closer after a moment. However, the two of them were broken out of their stupor by a mighty roar, one that completely shook them apart. Daenerys steps away from him and runs towards the door as quickly as she could, saying "Drogon!"

And what else could he do but run after her?

* * *

They run through the forest towards the lake where the roars had come from, and Daenerys practically slipped on the snow that had just fallen when she ran to a halt. Jon stops her from falling into the now-freezing cold lake, helping her stand. She nods at him in thanks before walking over to where Drogon laid, its head resting against the snow.

"What is it?" she asks as she approaches him. Jon follows closely behind. "Tell me, what is wrong."

Drogon lifts his head when he sees her and then glances at Jon. For a moment, the dragon does nothing, but after a second, he stands and walks to the side, exposing what seemed to be a ditch in the snow. Jon's brow furrows as Daenerys races forward, trying to see what had happened, looking for blood that could possibly have come from Drogon. There was none.

Instead, she digs through the snow, trying to see the issue. And then stills. Jon doesn't see what she sees. It was too dark.

"Fuck," he mutters, grabbing a branch from nearby. He looks at Drogon and then nods at the stick. "Mind if you, uh…" He didn't know the word, but it seemed Drogon didn't care. He sparks up the end of his branch with flames, giving them light. Jon nods at him before walking to Dany's side, kneeling beneath her.

And it's then that he sees what she sees.

"Is…are those…?"

"Yes," she whispers, her eyes full of tears, her hands lifting one of the objects into her fingers. "They are."

There, in the ditch where Drogon had just sat, were three separate dragon eggs. They had found them just as the sun was about to rise on the fourteenth day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know ya'll want that kiss - but you gotta work a bit more to get it XD
> 
> Again I hope this chapter made up for the craziness of last chapter - a lot of you thought that Dany was dunzo but nah she's a fighter. It's completely possible to survive getting sliced up but definitely hard to do. But I love my girl too much to do that so early in this story lol but you can see she did feel dead so maybe that will come back, we'll see ;)
> 
> Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter in the comments, as your words have always made me so happy and made me write quicker. Honestly you have fueled each of these chapters and it's a reason why this chapter was so much longer so thank you all so much for being so incredibly and stunningly responsive - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to join us on our little adventure and I'll see you all next time. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! :)
> 
> Next up: Jon and Daenerys talk about their discovery and finally make their way back to the Wall. Jon does some serious contemplation about his future, and if that includes Dany.


	9. On Dragon's Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barristan completes his mission and begins his journey back to the Wall. Daenerys and Jon return back at Castle Black with a package in tow, and one comment from a brother causes Jon to lose it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have been absolutely AMAZING with your responses to this story, so thank you so much! I'm so freaking glad you're enjoying it and I hope you continue to! I wanted to make sure we had a little update with our favorite knight on his mission so I hope that's okay that I started out with that! I promise Dany and Jon come in not that long after haha
> 
> This chapter is a lot tamer and nicer than before but next chapter um ya'll aren't ready for just putting that out there so enjoy this while you can lol I hope you enjoy!

_Barristan_

They stayed in that same area for a couple of weeks.

Long weeks where Barristan was starting to question their sanity. How was it that for so long, someone could sit in a bush and stare at a single tower to try and see if there was a signal? He would lose his bloody mind if he was alone. But it seemed that Brienne wasn't even close to that.

No, she was vigilant, he would give her that. She didn't stray from her spot, not for a single second. As for Podrick, however, the former squire – apparently, to Tyrion Lannister, of all people – would ask him questions each day about what life had been like in Essos, what Daenerys was like, what the girl's were like over there – not like Barristan would know, but he still asked anyway.

It was charming in a naïve boy way but even Barristan would get tired of the questions after a certain time, praying that this light would come through. And yet, there was nothing. He was starting to wonder when, if any, she would be able to come to the tower. But each day was filled with disappointment.

At some point, Barristan wondered what Daenerys was doing at the wall. How long it would take for them to get back. He had lost track of how long it had been. And he started to think maybe it wasn't worth it. That Daenerys _needed_ to get back to Meereen as soon as possible, as long as she got the advice she needed. Maybe Sansa wasn't even alive anymore, and they didn't know. But those thoughts were dark, and he pushed them away.

This was what his queen wanted – and for her, he would do anything.

However, a day came around when Podrick came running through the woods towards where Brienne and Barristan were still waiting, breathing heavily. "There's been word," Podrick says, trying to regain his breath. "I…I saw…."

"Speak, my boy," Barristan commands. "We don't have all day!"

The boy swallows and looks between them. "Stannis' army is falling apart," Podrick quickly says to the woman. "The Bolton's have been tearing them apart. He's in the Wolfswood, the last time I heard. Some of his men are running away – you could get your chance."

Brienne stills at his words. Barristan understands why. At a certain point, Brienne had told him the story of why she was aligned with Renly Baratheon while he was looking for the throne. He wasn't surprised and it seemed like a reasonable response to what she had gone through. Barristan knew that if something like that had happened to Daenerys, he would be trying to do the same thing to the perpetrator.

However, he could see the split decision in her eyes. She was sworn to protect the Stark girls, but she also wanted to avenge Renly. Both decisions were right there in front of her, and she didn't know which to pick. Barristan decides to make it easy for her.

"Go," he says to her, causing Brienne to stare at him in shock. "Stannis needs to be taken care of any way to make a path for my queen. I will stay here and watch the tower for the light. You two take care of business. If something happens, we meet in the woods."

Brienne looks at him with an expression of gratitude. "Thank you, Barristan." She looks at Podrick and nods behind her as she begins to take off. "Come on!" she commands the squire, who instantly takes off behind her. Barristan watches until they were far out into the woods and away from his vision before he turns his gaze back to the tower.

If the Boltons and the Baratheon's were fighting, this would be the perfect opportunity for Sansa to do this. And Barristan prayed that she knew that too.

But, it seemed that she did, and, within a couple of minutes, he sees the tiniest, little flicker of light appear from the top of the tower. Barristan feels himself smirk at the sight before standing, his hand on his sword and rushing through the trees, using it as cover. He goes towards the best opening he could get – right near the back.

"I'm coming, Lady Stark," he whispers quickly to himself.

* * *

When Barristan reaches inside the walls of Winterfell, he knew he was going to have to remain as hidden as possible. There were hundreds of men either running to the castle or away, trying to snuff out the last of Stannis' army. Barristan almost felt himself snort. He always knew Stannis would never amount to the throne.

But he never thought he'd be destroyed by a bastard.

Even so, he makes his way through the halls, hiding behind each nook and cranny as men would sore past, moving towards the chambers. He checks each of them, peeking inside to see if she had returned to her room, but sees nothing but dist and dimly lit candles. The candle in the tower had long gone out, at least from what he could see at a bridge of the castle.

So where _was she_?

It was funny, how large this castle was. It wasn't anything compared to the Red Keep, but it had been a long time since Barristan had been inside of a castle even this size. Navigating around it made it seem all that bigger. But as he came closer, he could hear some sounds that sounded like women. One particular sound reminded him of that little girl, from all those years ago.

"If I'm going to die, let it happen while there's still some of me left!"

Barristan instantly rushes towards the sound, hand at his sword. He turns a corner and sees her, Sansa on this end, her back to him, while another woman had an arrow pointed at her. There was a man that stood numbly behind her, his hair torn apart and mangled – seven hells, was that _Theon Greyjoy?_

Barristan had heard he was captured by the Boltons long ago, but never did he think it would be this bad.

He shakes that from his gaze and then runs forward as the other woman talks, before suddenly grabbing Sansa from behind. The woman nearly screams but he clothes her mouth with his hand, bringing his sword up to her throat. "Play along!" he whispers in her ear before turning to look at the stunned woman at the other end of the bridge. "She's ours!" he snarls.

The woman scoffs and holds her arrow up higher. "And who the fuck are you?"

"Someone that you don't need to know about, you measly woman," he snaps. "Lower your bow and I'll make your death _quick._ "

"I can't allow that," she responds angrily. "Looks like you'll go down fighting!" She knocks an arrow. Barristan quickly moves his arm and pulls out a dagger he kept on his side, throwing it with perfect aim at her shoulder. It lands squarely in her skin and she cries out, dropping the bow to the ground. The man behind her quickly takes advantage of that and pushes her off of the battlement.

Barristan hears her screams and then a sickening * _crack_ * come from below. He sees Sansa shakily glance over the side at the body, but Barristan nudges her away. "Come on!" he urges her before nodding at Theon, who quickly runs towards him. Instantly they start to hear hounds.

He pushes them into a chamber and closes the door, locking it behind him with a chair. There was banging against it within seconds. "W-who are you?!" Theon stutters.

Barristan runs to the window and pushes it open, staring down at the abyss below. There was snow at the ground, a lump big enough hopefully for them to catch in a fall. He couldn't sneak around any corners now. He turns back to them, and he sees a bit of recognition in Sansa's eyes.

"Ser Barristan?" she asks in disbelief.

"The girl is right," Barristan comments. The banging on the door grows louder. "And we need to go _now._ " He grabs her arm, pushing her towards the window. She hesitates for a second at the height and Barristan shakes his head. "Don't think about it, Lady Stark, do it!" Sansa swallows and looks to Theon, who had nothing else to say but nod at her. Barristan knew this was their last chance. The door began to crack. "Theon – right?" He hesitates for a second before nodding. "You go with her, through the window. Run to the woods. I will not be far behind."

"But-"

"Don't question, just _go!"_

Sansa doesn't waste any more time. She jumps from the window, and Theon follows quickly behind them. Just as Theon's body leaves his vision, the door cracks open, and in came two hounds, storming in. Barristan brandishes his sword once more and swings at the first one, knocking its head right off.

The second bit his arm but he kicks it, before slicing its neck open. Five men swing at him. Barristan was quicker. He stabs one in the head and dodges another hit, before bringing the sword out and cutting his belly open. A third comes at him and he knocks his head into the wall, slamming it twice. The last two remain.

Their blood gets spread the quickest. The first one wastes no time, but Barristan quickly dodges and parry's his first and second hit, slams his body into the man's own, and sends his sword right through his neck. The last man stills, holding his sword tightly. Barristan stalks towards him as he prepares to hit the disgraced knight, but Barristan quickly parry's his hit, picks up a sword quickly from the ground from one of the fallen soldiers, and slams it into the man's side.

He gurgles up his blood. Barristan uses his own sword this time to swiftly cut off his head, decapitating him. It falls to the ground with a thud.

Barristan lets out a sigh of relief and runs to the window. He does not see two bodies and instead sees footprints heading into the woods. He hears more hounds and soldiers in the distance. Quickly, wiping the blood from his feet so it wouldn't track in the snow, he jumps from the window this time, following after their marks.

* * *

_Sansa_

They run for she didn't know how long.

Her mind was full of questions – how was it that _Ser Barristan_ knew she was there? Was Theon actually Theon right now? Would she get mauled to death by these hounds? Would _that_ be her end?

But those questions were overridden by her want to survive. Her _need_ to survive.

Theon tries to help her through as many obstacles as he could with the dress she was wearing, through freezing lakes, tundra's of snow, even going so far as to hug her to somehow keep her warm underneath an uprooted tree. But it wasn't long before they could hear the Bolton's coming towards them.

"Go to Castle Black!" he urges her. "Find Barristan and get out here!"

"No, I won't leave you!" she whispers fiercely. Before he could protest, the Bolton's soldiers appear, their swords drawn and aimed.

One of the men chuckles and shakes his head. "Shame what Ramsey is going to do to you when you-"

Suddenly, his voice is cut off as a sword goes flying through his neck. Sansa stands back as the man falls from his horse, while a woman as tall as trees appears from behind it. _Brienne._ Another man behind her grabs a sword, trying to fight off one of the soldiers.

She stands back as the two of them slice down the soldiers – Brienne doing much more, but it was the thought that counted. One of the men almost sneak up on the youngest boy but a dagger is again thrown into the head of him, sending him to the ground. From behind that body emerges a heaving Barristan, who was dripping in blood.

Brienne yells in triumph as she slices the neck of the last men, throwing his body to the side. Sansa stares in shock as Barristan cleans his sword with a swipe of his glove, before coming to Brienne. He rests his hand on her arm. "Did you do your duty?"

The woman nods at him, a solid one that spoke volumes. Barristan nods back and then turns to Sansa, who was still quiet, looking at the three of them.

"I…have so many questions," was the first thing that came out of her mouth. She sees Barristan chuckle and nod his head.

"As you should…but I think Brienne has something to say to you first before you ask all those questions." Barristan nods at the woman, stepping aside. Brienne lets out a long exhale before taking her sword from its holster. She places her blade on the ground in front of her, before kneeling.

"Lady Sansa," she says. "I offer my services once again. I will shield you back and keep your counsel, and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it, by the old gods and the new."

Sansa glances over at Theon and then at Barristan, who both nod at her for confirmation. She swallows and turns back to her. "And I vow…that you shall always have a place by my hearth, and uh…"

"Meat and mead at my table," Barristan mutters.

"Meat and mead at my table," Sansa responds, thankful for the interjection. "And I pledge to ask no service of you that might bring you dishonor. I swear it, by the old gods and the new. Arise."

Brienne smiles and rises. Sansa feels a small sense of relief come through her. Barristan claps his hands and then nods towards the path they had fallen off from. "Well…this is all fine and great, but I believe we deserve a meal." He looks to Sansa. "I am sorry for coming at you so…quickly. It was the best way to distract that woman."

"No, no…it was needed."

"Thank you, Barristan," Brienne states from where she stood. "For coming to her aid when I could not."

"You saved her this time around, I was the last one here," Barristan reaffirms her before turning to them. "Again, I am starving…there's an inn not that far from here. I have a special connection with the woman there – gotten ale when I wasn't on watch. She will protect us." He turns to Sansa and holds out furs from his body. "I think these will suit you better, Lady Stark. But bloody, but warm."

Sansa looks to the furs for a moment and then gladly takes them from him. "Thank you, Ser Barristan." She looks to them and lets out a soft sigh. "Yes…I think a drink would be nice."

* * *

She hadn't seen Theon drink this much since she was younger.

Alcohol had never been something that was regularly used behind the walls of Winterfell, but when they did partake, Theon would do a lot of it. Usually at festivals or something else of that matter. But this time, he seemed to be downing the glasses as soon as they came.

"You need to hold your fast, boy," Barristan said after about a half-hour once they were in the inn. "You're going to let your insides out if you keep drinking that quickly."

Theon lowers the bin shakily to the table before sighing. "Hard not to when the Bolton's are after you. Are you sure that we're safe here?"

Barristan waves his hand dismissively. "Positive. The woman down there is loyal to the Starks. I promise you." He looks over at Sansa. "How are you? I'm sorry that we all ran out of there that quickly but as you saw, we were quite overwhelmed."

Sansa manages a quiet smile. "It's alright…we're here now. That's what matters." Her eyes meet his. "How…how did you kill all those people? That quickly?"

"Ser Barristan's been trained for years," Brienne pipes up from where she sat, watching near the window for possibilities of Bolton soldiers. "I wasn't surprised he could clear a room. It made well to help you out."

Barristan shrugs. "I have been under some impeccable battles in the past. One must always be prepared to face multiple enemies at once when it comes to this sort of thing." He looks over at Brienne and nods to her. "She did an excellent job protecting you until I came around for the last guy-"

"I killed one too!" Podrick speaks up from the corner.

Barristan rolls his eyes. "Indeed you did – but Brienne did the heavy lifting. I applaud her for that."

Brienne smiles a bit. "Thank you, Ser Barristan." She lowers her drink and chuckles a bit. "Must say, your other sister though, Lady Stark…she's a bit of a minx, she is."

Sansa feels herself still before she turns to Brienne. "You came across my sister? Arya?"

"Indeed, I did. Traveling with some man with a burnt face – ugly mug."

"Sandor," she whispers. "He was with her?"

"Protecting her. Fought me tooth and nail. Ended up knocking him off of a cliff." Sansa feels her shoulders drop at the news. "Not entirely sure where he might be now, but she seemed to disappear. She's smart for her age. Really knows how to use a sword, surprisingly."

Sansa feels a soft smile come over her lips. "Well…I'm glad that she is okay. That sounds like her. I'm so happy she's alive and well." She sighs and holds her mug tightly in her hands. "I hope one day I can see her again. Maybe seeing Jon will be the first step in reuniting the Starks…even if he isn't fully one."

Theon clears his throat and sighs. "I think I'll let you all go to Castle Black…I'm going to head back to Iron Islands, go back to my sister."

Sansa instantly turns to him. "No. Don't go. You'll be safer at the Wall," she implores him. "Jon will protect you."

"Sansa, I've done terrible things to the Stark name. I betrayed Robb. I beheaded Ser Rodrick. I burned too farm boys…even if he knows it's not the two of them it was still two innocent children. He would never forgive me for that. He'd behead me quicker than most," he admits.

Barristan lowers his mug. "Might I suggest something?" Sansa turns her head to him, as does Theon. "Join the Night's Watch. When you go there, you're absolved of your crimes. Given a fresh start."

Theon bites his lip before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter…no matter what, I still killed those two farm boys and committed horrible acts against her and his family. I have no right to be there. And he has every right to kill me…it's better that I return to my sister." He glances at the table and sighs. "Truth be told, I don't want to be forgiven for what I've done. I can never make up for what I've done…I just have to go home and help her. She tried to save me once and I failed her. I don't want to fail her again."

Sansa doesn't say anything for a moment. Theon sighs and stands, before nodding at Podrick from the side.

"Let's go get another pint. Need it."

Podrick hurries up before the two of them head downstairs. Once Brienne hears Podrick trip along the side due to too many drinks, she rolls her eyes and follows after them, leaving only Barristan and Sansa. He takes another swift sip of his drink before lowering it back to the table.

"Has he helped you at all?" he asks her quietly. When her brow furrows, he nods back towards the door. "Theon."

Sansa was silent for a moment before speaking. "He's been through a lot…"

"That's the easy way of saying 'no, he hasn't.'"

Sansa sighs. "It's not his fault. Theon was captured by the Bolton's years ago and Ramsey tortured every single last living part of him out of his body. He went for so long thinking that his name was Reek because Ramsey manipulated him into saying it, and if he didn't say that his name was Reek, Ramsey would torture him…when Ramsey started to hurt me, he still couldn't do much to save me. I could see that he could but if he did, Ramsey would kill him…you showing up gave him the perfect excuse to knock her off…and he helped in getting me through the woods. Honestly, I don't think I would have made it that far without him. My dress was too heavy."

"Yeah…that's something we do have to work on," Barristan states. "Can't travel around in the North in heavy dresses."

Sansa smiles a bit and glances down at her mead beneath her. "How is Jon?"

"Well, from what I saw there, he seems to have a stable head on him. He's leading the men well. Keeping my queen safe."

Sansa sighs and shakes her head. "I was horrible to him as a child…I can't believe he would want me safe."

Barristan's brow furrows. "The likes of a petty child being horrible to a sibling means so little when they are in danger. Brothers and sisters always fight with each other, but when one of them is in trouble, the other will always come when they are needed. And I could tell that was how Jon felt."

Sansa smiles a bit and nods. "You never really answered me…you said you're here protecting…a queen? Who?"

Barristan chuckles and nods, leaning back in his chair. "I am, indeed. After I was discharged from the King's Guard in King's Landing, I decided to say a big old 'fuck you,' to the Lannisters and head off to join who I believe can really rule this nation – Daenerys Targaryen." Sansa's brow raises. She had heard rumors about the dragon queen. "By the way, you have changed a lot, my dear. I am sorry that I couldn't do more to help you when you were in Joffrey's clutches."

Sansa waves her hand dismissively. "No…you don't need to apologize. Honestly, what was happening at Ramsey's felt…far worse. It's good to see your face and see you happy. My father was disgusted in them when he was told you were dismissed. At least that's what I've heard from sources."

Barristan sighs and nods. "Your father was an honorable man. I was upset when I heard of his passing. I am deeply sorry."

Sansa shakes her head. "It's been so long…it almost seems like a fever dream at this point. So much has happened."

"Well…I'm sure he would be proud of you for the woman you've become," Barristan reassures her. "And that you escaped that horrible situation."

Sansa feels herself smile once more. She had always heard that Barristan was one of the most honorable men around and respected wildly among the community before what the Lannister's did to him. Hearing him say that felt like everything that she had done to survive was worth it. "Tell me," she whispers softly, trying to change the subject. "You work for the dragon queen now?"

Barristan chuckles and nods. "I do."

"What is she like? I've heard stories about how she burned slavers in the Slave Cities. Is that true? Is she like her father?"

"Oh, not by any means," Barristan quickly discourages. "Daenerys is the complete opposite of her father. Any story you _have_ heard about the burning of slavers or killing men has always been for a reason. The slavers were imprisoning boys and forcing them to train from a young age to kill, torturing them, and cutting their bodies if they stepped out of turn. Not only that but forcing them to kill _children._ She needed an army and staged a ploy to get them. When she finally got control of that army, she ordered them to kill the masters while one of her dragons did some of the work as well."

"And they still followed her after that?"

"Of course they did. She gave them a new meaning in life. A way to show how loyal they were. She even offered to let them all go afterward if they wanted to. If they refused to follow her. But they didn't and united behind her. When she reclaimed Meereen, she crucified all of the slave masters there, as they had done to more than 300 children to mark the path to the city. She's had men executed for wanting to kill out of order. Anything that she _has_ done that's involved fire and blood have been entirely necessary."

Barristan sighs with a soft smile on his face.

"But even so, with all of her fiery personality and a passion that seriously can't be matched by anyone, she's the sweetest and kindest woman you will ever meet once you get to know her. At first, she can be a bit cold and calculated because that's what a queen _needs_ to be, but when you become close to her, she will do _everything_ in her power to make sure that you are treated right and taken care of. For example, she bought a slave girl from one of the masters because she could see potential in her. Now, she's her handmaiden, and one of her most trusted advisors. And not only that, but she regularly makes sure innocent people are the ones who are taken care of first. A big reason as to why she wanted to get the slave cities wasn't because of an army or anything else – she wanted to free the slaves. She wanted to give them a new life when no one else would. And she did a hell of a job and more."

"Wow…she sounds like an amazing woman," Sansa states softly, to which Barristan agrees. It was funny, how life had worked. Sansa had wanted to be a queen for a time, but with what Daenerys did, she didn't think she could ever live up to that. "But…if she's done so much, why is she here? Is she at the Wall with Jon?"

"Indeed, she is…but of course where she's been ruling, there have been uprisings, things she has never dealt with before. I brought her here because I knew that she needed advice from the last family that I know of from the Targaryen's, and that was Maester Aemon. I only hope that while I've been here, she's gotten the advice that she's needed."

"So Jon just…let her in?"

"Well, no. Women usually aren't allowed at the Wall. We decided to make an exchange, and it was Daenerys' idea – she gets to stay at the Wall so she can speak with her uncle about everything she needed to know, while I came down here to bring you back safely."

Sansa's brow raised in shock. "That was…Daenerys' idea? To come and save me?"

"Oh, Sansa, if it was up to her when we first passed Winterfell on our way to the Wall, she would have come in here and saved you yourself. Once I told her what was happening, she was livid. She saw the opportunity to save you at the Wall with Jon. He had wanted to do something to help you but could never abandon his post, so this was his chance. And she demanded that I bring you back safely to him. And you'd be a fool to go against the dragon queen's wishes."

Sansa stares at her cup in shock, listening to Barristan's words. "I can't believe she would request that even though she didn't know me at all."

"It only shows that she cares about everyone, no matter if she does know you or not. She's truly a one of a kind woman."

Sansa was quiet, letting his words linger for a moment before sighing. "Well…if Theon is going to be leaving, I suppose it'll be you, Brienne, and Podrick with me to the Wall…how long do you think it might take?"

Barristan nods, taking out a map to answer her questions from her side. "If what I assume is correct and we take this slow due to the cold, we should get there in about a fortnight, maybe a little longer than that. It's getting colder and we want to make sure that we are warm enough before traveling too far. But we'll be back there in no time." He looks to her. "The real question is, are you ready for the journey?"

And for the first time since she was a young girl, Sansa nods her head with a resounding 'yes.' "More ready than I'll ever be."

* * *

_Daenerys_

She had never thought she would witness dragon eggs again.

When she was given her own years ago, she didn't think they would hatch at first. But over time, she developed a kindling with them, an expectancy. She _knew_ they would come – they just needed the right push. When Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion had been born, she had thought 'I am truly the last dragon. The person who could bring this world back to a Targaryen reign.'

But here, looking at these eggs, she felt that go away. There were going to be _more_ of them. Her uncle had been right.

"How…I thought Drogon was a…he?" Jon finally asks, dumbfounded.

"Dragons are fluid," Daenerys explains gently, looking back up at him. "My uncle told me that if need be, a dragon can change its way of body so they can produce eggs…Drogon was able to. My question is how he laid them so quickly…maybe he did a while ago and we're only just finding out now."

She lifts up on egg, admiring the silver scales that graced the outside. Another one had almost a dark purple, almost black. It was only the light of the moon that shone the lighter color. The third one seemed to be almost golden, one that reminded her of the sun, with speckles of white across it.

"This is…amazing," Jon whispers, clearly shocked. He kneels down beside her, settling the torch in the snow. "What does it…feel like?"

"Here." She grabs one of the eggs and hands it to him. Instantly he takes a step back but she holds his hand, bringing it to him. "It's not going to bite. Take it."

Jon looks at the eggs almost apprehensively but takes it into his hands, this one being the golden egg. The moment it settles in his fingers, his brow furrows as he feels it. "It's…warm." He looks at her in shock. "Is that normal?"

"For dragon eggs, they're supposed to stay warm if you want them to hatch, even if they're born warm. Drogon must have been breathing fire on them to try and keep them alive."

"It almost feels like…like a little heartbeat," Jon comments, and she sees the lightest smile come over his lips. The simple movement made Dany's heart skip a beat, despite the little fight they had gotten into before. He was so much more handsome when he smiled.

"It's a little life in there. It should have one," she states softly before lowering the egg back down to the ditch. "This is astounding…do you know what this means? Dragons are being reborn…Drogon's saved the species." She stands and runs her hands through her hair. "We have to get back to the Wall, find somewhere that we can put them in a firepit or _something…_ we can't let them die."

"Slow down," Jon says, lowering the golden egg back down to the ditch before standing where she was. "Dany, you're still healing. I don't know how safe it would be to hike back to the Wall now."

"Who says we have to hike back there?" she asks him, and at that moment, Drogon lets out a growl from where he sat, watching them closely.

Jon sighs and looks over at Drogon hesitantly. "I _really_ don't know how the brothers are going to feel when they see a dragon, Dany."

She raises her brow. "Oh, so you _expect_ me to just _leave him?_ When he's been missing for a _year?_ And he just laid _dragon eggs?"_

"No, no, just…we have to be careful about this. The brothers will surely know who you are now and the dragon isn't going to do us any favors. I want him to come as well but we need to make sure that he stays as far away from the Wall as he can. We can get close to where we have to go and walk back, that way the other brothers don't start to try and hurt him. There were reasons why giants weren't able to get past the gate during one of our battles."

She was hesitant, looking down at the eggs. "If I keep hiding who I truly am, no one is going to take me seriously," she states firmly to him.

"And I'm not saying you have to. I'm only saying _for now._ You're still injured. We need to make sure we arrive there as easy for us as possible with these eggs. I don't want them to crack either." He comes over and rests his hands against her shoulders. "Please. Trust me. This is what we need to do."

Daenerys bites her lip and glances back down at the eggs, before slowly nodding her head. "Al…alright, we can do that. Do we have a bag or something we can use to bring these back in?"

"There's a sack in the cabin that would be useful."

"Good, bring that out. I'll keep an eye on Drogon and the eggs. Grab what you need and we'll take off as soon as possible. I don't want to waste any more time trying to get these to safety." She turns to him and sighs. "We were going to have to go back anyway…can't imagine forever."

She sees a sad smile come over his lips before he turns. However, she doesn't hear his footsteps fade away. Instead, the sound of his voice penetrates her ears. "Dany." She turns her head to see him once more. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier…you _do_ know what I want. There's just…so many things that are against me right now. There's a lot of stress and I don't want to pull you into it."

Her shoulders drop at his emission and she steps forward to him, wrapping her furs tighter around her body as chilly winds sail past them. "I didn't mean what I said – that you're a coward. Truth be told, I think you're one of the bravest men I've met. I was just upset. It was uncalled for." Her hand reaches up and cups his cheek, stroking the stubble softly under the pad of her thumb. "And you shouldn't be afraid to pull me into it – I'm as far into your shit that I could possibly go, so there's _nothing_ stopping you," she says lightly.

He chuckles a bit at her words but doesn't say anything for a moment. "We both said things we didn't mean…think it's better we move on." He looks down at her, bringing a hand up to cup her own. Before he could say anything else, however, Drogon lets out another roar, interrupting them. Jon rolls his eyes. "I'm going!" he yells at the dragon before heading off towards the cabin.

Daenerys watches until he was gone before turning to Drogon with a raised brow. "You've become quite impatient, haven't you?"

The dragon lets out a snuff in return before settling his head back on the ground.

* * *

_Jon_

Flying back to the Wall had been an adventure, for sure.

Jon had returned to the lake with the sack, placing all three of the eggs inside as gently as he could. And while Jon had ridden the dragon once before, getting on him again still terrified him. But with Dany, she climbed on with ease, almost like she was _meant_ to be there. Which she was, really. More than him, at least.

She had helped him up as well, the eggs secured between them, and his arms wrapped around her middle to hang onto. He could see the look of wonder and amazement in her eyes when she had settled on Drogon's back, and when she had whispered, "Sōvegon," to him, the expression of joy that had crossed her features when they took off into the sky was enough to make even the grouchiest man in the world smile.

Soon, she got the hang of it, flying with ease on the back of Drogon. And with how fast they flew, it wasn't long before the sun was rising in the distance, and Jon could see the brink of the Wall. The moment they did, he told her to land in a clearing, which they did. Daenerys said goodbye to Drogon for the time being, and the two of them walked back to the Wall as quickly as possible to avoid the cold.

All while they did, Jon was _constantly_ thinking. And not just about the Wall or his brothers or anything else, but about _her._ A future with Dany.

He was still flabbergasted regarding her proposal – he still didn't think he would be the best option for her, despite every part of him wanting to go along with it. To be legitimized, to take her as his because as much as he hated to admit it, he had grown attached to the queen. And the thought of another man touching her angered him even though she wasn't even _his._

However, he still believed that there were better alliances out there than with a former bastard of the North. And he would hold to that, for as long as he could.

Even so, he had been thinking about joining her _much_ more lately.

At first, he had said no out of duty. When he realized he didn't really give a shit about that, he said no for the innocent people. And now that that was done, he said no because…well, she was right. Even if she said she wasn't, she was. He had been afraid of moving away from what he was doing now. Of the shame that would come.

But the longer he thought about it, the more he came to realize that he didn't care. If he were to leave with Dany and serve by her side, he would not only be serving someone that _deserved_ to be served but was someone he genuinely cared for. He'd be able to keep her safe, see her succeed from afar. And, more importantly, he'd have her _and_ her army on his side for the fight against the dead at a ready hand, not a letter away.

She was right. It would work incredibly well for him. She was _always_ right.

But that was the issue, though. Even if she was right, there was still the topic of the brothers. No one had ever just left the watch like that, abandoning their post for something as to serve another queen. But he hoped that they saw it as an opportunity. They needed the men to fight the dead, and Dany was willing to give them. And then, when she returned to Westeros, Jon could be at her side when she takes the throne…with someone else beside her.

He needed to stop thinking of that.

When they did finally approach the gates of the wall, and he did halt those thoughts for a bit, the first person he saw _instantly_ was Sam. He stared down at him in shock before yelling at the men, screaming, "Open the gates! Open the gates!" Within seconds, the gates were pulled up, and Jon could see the familiar entranceway ahead of him.

He lets out a soft sigh and turns to Dany, knowing there was going to be much confusion on what had happened with them as well as her. "Are you ready to face this?"

She smiles and nods. "Yes…as long as you're with me."

He reaches down and squeezes her free hand. "I'll always be with you." He glances back at the path before heaving the eggs tighter onto his side, letting out a sigh. "Alright then. Let's get out of the cold."

To which, she follows him close behind.

* * *

The moment they walked in, _everyone_ was in the meeting room. Some brothers Jon had barely even seen since they arrived. _Everyone_ was talking at once. And _everyone_ had questions. At a certain point, Jon had banged his hand on the table to get their attention, before snapping, " ** _Silence!_** "

Within seconds, they all quieted down. Dany, sitting at his side now fully exposed, nods subtly in approval at his ways.

"Now," Jon exhales, looking to all of them. "I'm sure you have many questions about where we have been, what is going on, or anything at all. _Now_ is your time to ask them. _One at a time._ " There was silence for a good couple of seconds before one of the brothers finally raised his hand – Edd. Jon nods to him. "Ask your question."

"When we…well, when all of us were at Hardhome, we saw, uh…a dragon. And Dar…well, whoever she is, get _stabbed._ What happened?"

Jon sighs, trying to figure out the best way to speak it. "I was running from the cabin when the blizzard the White Walkers were creating started to pick up. I couldn't see. One of the White Walkers started to pile down on me and she saved me with Longclaw. We weren't quick enough and she was stabbed. We thought we were goners, but her dragon came and saved us. Drogon is his name. He took us to a cabin in the woods, not that far from where Craster's used to be. We stayed there for a fortnight while she healed."

"Where…is this dragon now?" Edd asks, and Jon could hear the slight tinge of fear in his voice.

"Don't worry," he states. "Daenerys and I made sure that the dragon was far from here. You are all fine. We used it to get back and that was it."

"So it's true." This time, Thorne was the one to step forward. He was starting at Daenerys with almost a look of wonder. "The dragon queen had returned to Essos?"

Jon looks over at Daenerys, nodding at her to speak. She stands, holding her side slightly in pain before nodding. "I haven't…returned, as you might say. Not yet." She looks between them all. "I am sorry if I have been…messing with you, the last few weeks. I originally came here with Ser Barristan and wanted to request the aid of my uncle. He knows far more about my family and ruling than anyone else, but the only way I could stay was under the disguise of a boy. I apologize for lying…suppose we can't do it now."

"Why would you risk your life for him?" one brother says, causing Jon to raise an eyebrow at the man. "He's only the Lord Commander. You want to be the queen, don't you?"

Daenerys crossed her arms against her chest. "Tell me, would you have risked your life in that situation?"

"Well, if I was there to save him, then yes-"

"Then why shouldn't I? Just because I may be wanting to be queen doesn't mean I am at any less of a responsibility for saving the people that I care about. Jon has done nothing but protect me since I have arrived here. He's trained me, sent me to areas in the castle where I won't get bogged down by certain people." Jon could see she was fighting her glance at Thorne. "He's kept me safe. What kind of person would I have been if I let a White Walker slice his head off?"

The men were silent, muttering among themselves. Edd steps forward again.

"What happened to your sword?" he asks Jon.

Jon lets out a slow sigh. "I lost it at Hardhome. We didn't have time to pick it up." He looks between them, standing once more. "But, it's good to know that Valyrian steel is a weakness against the White Walkers…maybe at some point we can send a group over there, or I can return to maybe find it. But for now, it's a less important issue. She's safe. That's what matters."

"So what happens now?" Thorne asks, crossing his arms against his chest. "Is Ser Barristan going to return to take her back?"

"Well…it has been some time," Jon states quietly. "If all has gone well, Barristan _should_ be heading back towards the Wall now. For how long it might take, I don't know, but she will return to Meereen soon."

"Gods, I'm sorry for shoving that dirt in your face that one day, your grace," one of the brothers quickly states.

Daenerys chuckles and shakes her head. "Don't apologize. You had no idea it could have been me." She turns to look at the men, seeing some look at Jon with a look of discomfort. Particularly Thorne. "Why do you look at him as if he is a monster?"

"If his job was to protect you, he didn't do a very good job," Thorne states bluntly. "You nearly died. You probably _did_ under his watch. You were gone for two weeks! She could have died in that cold!"

Before she could speak, Jon instantly grabs the goblet he had been given when sitting down and throws it as hard as he could at the old man. The contents go spilling out and splashing into the eyes of some of the brothers. Thorne quickly ducks as it shatters against the wall. "Don't you fucking _dare_ speak to her or _I_ like that ever again!" he snarls.

"L…Lord Commander-"

"I don't want to hear another fucking _word_ out of you, Thorne!" he snaps, standing. "You weren't there! You have _absolutely_ no idea what it was that she and I went through! The fucking _terror_ that we felt. She is here alive and it's _because_ I saved her and got her out of there – not because of _you._ Do you want to know what it feels like to have a sword impale right through your body? Because I'll **_gladly show it._** "

Thorne was stunned silent. As were the other brothers. Instead, he swallows and shakes his head. "No, Lord Commander. I do not."

Jon feels his shoulders drop, the rage slowly leaving him. He nods. "Good." He turns to the other brothers. "As your leader, and someone whom most of you can run to with any complaints, I will gladly accept them. And I can promise you that nothing you can propose will ever be too wrong to bring up. We're meant to work together to defeat this threat and everything else in general. But if the topic is of the queen, that is the one exception. If anyone of you has _anything_ to say about how I _should_ be keeping her safe when she is _clearly_ alive under _my watch_ and _none of yours_ , the price for that is I collect your fucking **head**. I don't want to hear a goddamn _thing_ about it. If anyone else has any other _comments_ on the state of the queen that you want to say to me, **_now's the fucking time_** _._ "

Silence. It was as quiet as freshly fallen snow. You could hear a pin drop.

"Nice choice," he breathes out, before letting his guard down for a moment. "Sam." His friend instantly turns his head up at his voice. "Take the queen to her chambers. It is imperative that she rests after the long flight we had."

"Yes, Lord Commander," Sam quickly says before running towards Daenerys. Jon quietly hears him whisper to her, "It's good to see you again!" before taking her as quickly as possible out of the room. Once they were gone, Jon turns to the room of people.

"What are you all staring at me for? _Get back to your stations!_ "

As soon as he says that, they all scurry off. He could see Thorne throw him a look of anger but doesn't say a word, walking off with the other brothers around him. Once the room was clear, Jon runs his hands through his hair, sighing heavily.

Had he lost his cool? Yes. But there was no fucking way he was going to sit there and let other people _berate him_ for what he did to try and keep her alive. The next thing he needed to find out about though was where the wildlings had gone. And that would be up to Sam to hopefully tell him.

"I need a fucking drink," he mutters to himself before standing up, leaving the meeting room behind him.

* * *

_Daenerys_

Sam wouldn't stop talking her ear off the whole walk back to her chambers.

It wasn't like she blamed him. She and Jon had been gone for a good amount of time and she was certain things had happened while they were in the cabin. But as she walked back to her chambers with the sack in her hands, she couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she and Jon had given into their imaginations.

What if they had stayed in the cabin? What if they had gone off to Meereen to not return to the Wall? Or to Braavos…she wished to an extent they could but knew it couldn't happen. At least not for a long time.

She wished she could somehow convince him of what she wanted. That he was _worth_ her and everything else that she wanted. But it seemed it was going to take a kick in the arse to somehow get him to come with her.

"Here we are," Sam states, opening the door for her. As soon as she steps in she races over to the fireplace, lighting it up as quickly as possible.

"Sam, could you bring me that bag?"

Sam heaves up the sack that held the eggs and he stares at it in shock. "What do you have in here? Bricks?"

"Close. Dragon eggs."

Sam chuckles, but when she looks at him completely serious, his brow furrows and he pulls out what was inside. When he does, _indeed,_ pull out a dragon egg, he nearly drops it to the ground before holding it as tightly as possible. "My gods, where did you get this?!"

Daenerys chuckles as she takes the egg from him, before bringing them close to the fire that was now brewing brightly. "Drogon laid them while Jon and I were resting in the cabin."

Sam was quiet as she placed them near the fire, watching as it roared near them. "A lot has happened with the two of you, huh?" Sam asks quietly.

"Oh, yeah. I understand why he snapped at the brother's today. They really have no idea what he's done to help me and keep me alive." She sighs and smiles, standing. "I really think that he's the best man that you have here." She looks to him and raises her brow. "By the way, where are the wildlings?"

Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door. Sam walks over and opens it to reveal Jon, with Ghost at his side. The direwolf rushes over to Daenerys and begins to lick her hands, to which she laughs and kneels down to scratch him behind his ears.

"I've missed you too," she says softly before looking back up at Jon. "Are you alright after what happened out there?"

Jon sighs and walks over, taking a seat on the bed. "I'm fine…I know they aren't going to like that but I couldn't stand it anymore."

"Well…consider the threat well-received," Sam mutters.

Jon deadpans him. "I highly doubt I'm going to be doing that to you, Sam."

"Still. Probably scared the shit out of half the brothers."

"That was the goal," Daenerys chuckles a bit.

"Either way, now that we're all here, I'll ask you where are the wildlings?" Daenerys nods her head, glad that he was on the same page as her. "Were there issues letting them in? What happened?"

Sam sighs. "At first, there were. They thought the wildlings killed you two. But the other brothers who were there contested and said the opposite. I didn't believe that you were taken by a dragon but after all the stories, I quite believe it now. Thorne was actually the one to finally let them through."

Daenerys' brow raises. " _Thorne?_ "

"Yes. I think he's finally realized that Jon holds the power now. Probably why he did shut up so quickly today. But when he found out that it was you, I think there was a switch in him. Like he wanted to prove himself to you."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow before shaking her head. "Well…he's going to have to try a lot harder than that after his little performance today."

"Once the wildlings were let through, however, I guided them to the forest," Sam continues. "Tormund took them a bit more south, so I'm not sure where they are now. But they aren't that far. I'm sure they'll be happy to learn that you're alive." He takes a seat for a moment. "I heard the tales…of what you saw. Is it all true?"

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't have this." Dany lifts the bottom part of her tunic to show the scar of where the sword had impaled her, and Sam instantly cringes.

"Good gods," he mutters.

"Everything you've heard is real, Sam," Jon states quietly. "And it's worse than you could have imagined…we are going to need every single last man, alive and standing, to fight this fight. Or we are all going to die." Sam's face begins to pale at that. "I don't want to suddenly bring you pain, Sam. Honestly, I've just been…thinking about everything lately. We need to be prepared, is all."

"No, no…I understand. I'm happy that you're both not holding back. For what it's worth, I'm very happy that both of you are alive…thought all my friends were leaving me." Daenerys smiles at Sam and squeezes his shoulder while Jon offers a quiet smile as well.

"How is Gilly? And Aemon?"

"Gilly is alright. Doing everything that she can. She was talking with some of the wildling women who proposed to cook in the kitchen as Jon had said, but that won't happen for some time considering they want to settle first. Aemon, on the other hand, has grown…busy." He looks between the two of them. "He's doing very well. Even walking out of bed again. But he has something to tell you. The both of you."

Daenerys' brow raises. "It's something you can't tell us?"

"Um…it's better if _he_ does it."

Daenerys shares a gaze with Jon, who sighs. "Honestly, I'm really not in the mood to hear what it is just yet. I have to make sure that everything is in order and check-in with the men. Probably start planning out the best places to find the wildlings and track down the right farmland for each of them. There's so much to be done. And Dany needs to rest, at least for a little bit more time. The only reason we came back here so quickly was to make sure the dragon eggs were warm."

"Well…that's good." Sam glances between them and bites his lip. "We can tell you later, or I guess _he_ can if you need to rest. It's just news you should know…soon, I suppose is the best word. _Very_ soon."

Jon nods. "We'll get the news tonight, I promise. For now, actually, could you go and check in on Olly and the other trainees? I have to speak with Daenerys about something, uh… _privately._ "

Sam's brow raises in a slight surprise before nodding. "Of course, Jon. I'll see you two later. Again…I'm so happy you're back." He offers another goofy smile to them before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

Once it was closed, Jon glances over at the fire. "Finding Tormund and the rest of them are going to be a bitch…but I think we can do it before Barristan comes back. Get them settled in time."

Her brow furrows quietly. "That's nice to hear but that can't be what you sent Sam out for, though."

Jon was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No. It wasn't." He looks back over at her once more. "I've done a lot of thinking and I've made a decision."

"A…decision on what?"

Leaning back against the wall, he crosses his arms gently against his chest, before speaking two words she had been waiting to hear for weeks now. "About Meereen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, you're waiting for *it* to happen. We're getting there I promise lol but it's not going to be fun. 
> 
> Just to let you know - the first part of this story basically takes place when Jon arrived at the cabin with unconscious Dany. By the time that Dany and Jon returned to the Wall, Barristan is probably right around the corner with Sansa, so that way we're all caught up with the storyline. I wanted to make sure I included Barristan's mission before you know *what* happens so I hope you enjoyed that update with your favorite knight! And btw, Sansa isn't going to be the villain of this story for god's sake she's going to use her HEAD. Freaking season eight. 
> 
> Also ngl I'm liking writing angry/pissed off Jon. We didn't see that shit in the show. He kinda turned into a little bitch at the end lol so please if you like it let me know because I'm enjoying writing it haha telling that shit off to Thorne made me freaking happy XD
> 
> Please let me know what you think in the comments, as they always inspire me to keep writing! You guys have been absolutely astounding with your responses and your feedback so a huge thank you goes out to you! Ya'll are the reason 2020 has actually been a great year, so thank you for being amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have an awesome day! 
> 
> Next up: Jon gives Daenerys his decision on whether he will be joining her in Meereen or not. Jon delivers some news to the NIght's Watch. Olly and Thorne have conversations with Dany. And just when it seems everything is going well, the world turns upside down.


	10. For the Watch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon makes a decision and reports about it to the brothers. Life starts to seem bright again, but a plot is revealed that changes the game forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll POPPED OFF with the last chapter, my guys, oh my lord. Thank you so much for your amazing response to the last chapter and everything that you have said. It's been so crazy and I've loved every single second of it, so thank you for being awesome with all your comments. This chapter, uh...well, you'll see. I hope you still like me after. Hope you enjoy (she says questioningly).

_Jon_

She raises an eyebrow at him. "And…what would that be?"

He had been thinking constantly about what he wanted. What he _needed._ In his chambers, drinking his goblet, trying to see just how _much_ he could do with her. And eventually, after hours of pondering, of holding her at night, of traveling through the woods, of _everything,_ he had finally come to a decision.

"…you're right," he begins softly, before turning to look up at her. "There really isn't much I can do here. Yes, I can wait for my sister to return – which I will, as she needs to be safe and away from that monster at Winterfell. But other than that, I only have my men here and the wildlings. I need _more_ to fight against this army. _More_ to take me seriously."

He bites his lip and then glances away, his fingers intertwining together.

"But there's also not much more for me…here, in general."

Her brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…of course there's Sam and some of the other brothers who trust me, but other than them, I'm…I'm alone here. I've been leading these men but half of them don't trust me or think someone else should be the leader. I've proven myself – the way I wanted to years ago – but some just…don't get it. When I first joined the Night's Watch, I thought there was nothing out there for me. I was out of options. I could never be Lord of Winterfell because of my birthright, to which I had _none._ And it wasn't like I could travel the world and gain honor, or whatever it was…but then I met you."

He finally looks back at her, seeing her expression change the moment he says that.

"I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to serve someone I truly believed in, but then I met you. At first, protecting you was…a chore, honestly, because you didn't let someone talk you down. You stood up for yourself and for me, which no one had ever really done here besides Sam. And not only that, but you _believed_ me. You believed in what I thought and felt and wanted to give me a better life because you _knew_ that this place wasn't for me. And at first, I said no but…now I'm beginning to realize how wrong I was."

He swallows, looking back down again. Maybe Dany was right. Maybe he was a coward, in a way. He could barely look her in the eye when saying this.

"When you were…injured at Hardhome, I had never felt so much fear." He forces himself to look back at her, looking in her eyes when he says this. "I wanted to save you so badly and I thank the gods every single day that you're still here with me, somehow. A fucking fighter, you are." He sees a soft smile appear on her lips. "But after that, I realized that if that was me _next_ to you, physically there with you, I don't know what I would be like if I sent you back to Meereen without me. There's this… _need_ inside of me that _needs_ to see you safe. To make sure you're okay. And I _know_ you don't need my protection but that doesn't mean I don't want to… _give it_ to you. I want to be there for you like you have been there for me."

He reaches out and takes her hands in his. Instantly they secure around his own.

"I want to be there when you overtake those masters back in Meereen. I want to be there when you take your men here and fight with us against this bastard north of the Wall. I want to be there to see you fly off on Drogon and burn down every single last one of those wights. And…if somehow, we survive all of that…I want to be there when you take down Cersei and take back the Iron Throne."

He sees a smile spread across her lips, once that was so bright he was sure it was even more powerful than her dragon's fire. It could warm the hearts of a million men. "When," she whispers.

His brow furrows. "What?"

"You can't be going into this with that attitude, Jon. _When_ we survive. _When_ I take back the throne. Because _it will happen…_ we just need to keep faith. Somehow."

"Somehow," he mumbles.

She bites her lip and glances away for a moment before looking back at him. "And… _when_ we do all of that. And I sit on the throne…what happens after that?"

Jon was quiet for a moment, but he doesn't move from her. "Well…there could be two options." He looks back at her. "I could…come back here, continue being Lord Commander. It is _supposed_ to be a life sentence. Although if the threat of the White Walkers is gone and the wildlings have made peace, I don't _quite_ know what the Watch would be useful for…the other option is that if the queen isn't sick of me at that point-" He hears her snicker. "-then I'd _gladly_ stay by her side on her Queensguard, or in any other way she'd have me. And honestly, as horrible as it sounds to say, I prefer the latter."

Her hands lose their grip on his. And he knows why. "So…you don't want to ma-"

"I think you're the most _beautiful_ woman in the world, Dany," he speaks honestly, interrupting her. He knew what she would say. And he needed to say this. His words stop her lips. "There isn't a day where I don't think about it. There isn't a moment where I don't wonder how I was blessed to meet you and even become _this_ close to you, to see you as you really are. Being legitimized and becoming your husband…would be one of the greatest honors I could ever be given."

She lets out a shaky breath. "…but?"

Jon sighs. The words of his father ring in his head. 'Everything before the word 'but' is horse shit.' He did mean every single word, though. _Every_ single one.

"But," he states, his voice soft. "I can't just jump into this. What would your council say in Meereen? That you came back with a man and said that he was to be your husband?"

"They wouldn't say anything because I am the _queen,"_ she whispers fiercely. He holds her hands tighter.

"Yes, they would, because as I've said and I'm sure they have as well, the best alliances are made through marriage. You even said yourself that Aemon said that…you are _still_ fighting for that throne, Dany. You're still _constantly_ trying to get as many people on your side as possible. What if the only way to get someone's army is if you marry into their family? You can't throw that away right now."

He sees a tear leak out from her eyes, dripping onto the ground. He instantly felt like shit. Gods, why did this feel _terrible_?

"I guess queens can't think with their emotions," she whispers before swallowing, looking back at him. "I wish they could. I wish I didn't have politics in my life for once." She chuckles and glances at the ground. "Sometimes I wish I was just a milkmaid without a care in the world. You could be a farmhand."

He smiles sadly at her words. "That would be nice, wouldn't it?"

Daenerys swallows before looking back at him. "And…what if I don't?" She nods out towards the door. "What if I…fight my way to the throne, no alliances, no marriages…what happens then?"

Jon doesn't say anything for a moment. "Well…then all bets are off, I suppose." He sees a slight smile return to her eyes when he says that. He's grateful that the sadness had left for a little while. "That will be up to you. But until then…you have my sword. And you'll have me."

"Not in the ways that matter," she mutters.

He lets go of her hand and then tilts her head up, making sure she looked at him. "You'll have _me,_ " he reiterates again. "All of me. As much as you need."

She searches his eyes for a moment before exhaling slowly. "You really want to come with me?" she almost breathes, her eyes blinking away tears, praying that this wasn't a trick. But it wasn't. Not by any means.

And the moment he nods his head, she throws her arms around him in the tightest hug he had ever received. She buries her head in his neck as he chuckles, holding her tightly. And a part of him never wanted to lower her down. He did, however, when she cringed, holding her side tenderly.

"Shit, I'm sorry," he quickly apologizes.

She shakes her head. "It's fine. It was all on me. I shouldn't have moved so quickly." She looks back at him and smiles. "I'm…very glad you're coming, Jon. Very glad." He smiles back at her, holding her hand once more. She bites her lip and glances at the door. "What are you going to tell the other brothers, though?"

Jon sighs and glances away. "I've been thinking about it. I don't know if I'm going to come back or not – that's entirely up to you. But I have to paint it as if I may. I'm going to tell them I'm leaving to bring back men to fight the cause – and I'm hoping they'll see it more as an opportunity rather than a breakaway. I'm _praying_ they do." He looks back at her and squeezes her hand. "But nothing is going to stop me from coming with you. Not even them."

Daenerys smiles gently at that before he stands, letting out a soft sigh.

"I'm going to talk with them in a bit. You rest your side...as soon as Barristan comes here with Sansa, all of us can go. I'm sure she'll be happy to go anywhere that doesn't include Ramsey…she can still come, right?"

"Of course she can."

"Good." He looks back at her and smiles again. "I'll see you in a bit, your grace." He heads out of the door, closing it quietly.

But what he doesn't see as he walks away is Dany's little dance of joy once he had vanished behind the door.

* * *

Getting everyone into the meeting room had been a process, but once they had all arrived, Jon had never felt more pressure. This was the news of his life, and he was hoping by all hope they took it well.

He could see Sam sitting anxiously. He wondered what it was that was so bloody important that he had to talk with him about. But he supposed that could wait until the night. He could see Thorne looking at him but doesn't dare say anything. Good.

Many of his other friends sat down, speaking to one another. He could see Olly had taken a seat near the front his eyes focused on Jon. And once he could see that everyone was in there, he cleared his throat. All the eyes turned towards him. He was glad that what he had done this morning had seemed to show a message to them.

"I'm sure many of you are wondering why you are here," Jon begins quietly, standing once the attention was solely focused on him. "I sent you off this morning, but there have been some developments since then that I must tell you about."

He walks to the front of the table, leaning against it with his arms crossed against his chest.

"As you all know now, Daenerys Targaryen has been among our ranks for the last several weeks. Though she's been hiding from you, she hasn't from me. And she's told me about the men that she has in Meereen. Thousands of Unsullied and sellswords who back her every move. Men who would be willing to fight for whatever cause she feels passionate about."

He looks back to them, seeing all of them waiting with bated breath.

"We need all the help that we can get with the threat to the North. Some of you weren't there, and some of you were. You saw how many there were. What happened _after_ we killed them. They will only grow in size if we don't stop it. If some of you saw, Valyrian Steel is a way to kill the White Walker, but because the ways of that have been lost to the world, it's only useful for people who do hold Valyrian steel. However, on Dragonstone, there are thousands of mines of dragonglass beneath the castle. Daenerys is planning on taking back that island-"

"Word has been sent," Edd states quietly from where he stood. "Stannis has been defeated. It would be easy access for her."

Jon's brow raises. "That's good for our cause. Suppose we get to keep his ships, then. Even so, another weakness to the wights is fire – Daenerys has _three_ dragons, one of which you have already seen. We _need_ her on our side to fight the dead."

He lets out a soft sigh, preparing himself.

"So, I've decided I'm going to ride East with her."

Instant cries and yells of anger were echoed around the room, some yelling curses at him and others staring in shock. Thorne steps forward. "So you're abandoning your _post?!_ "

"I'm not abandoning shit!" Jon snaps at him angrily. It seems the moment he says that everyone begins to quiet down once more. "Do any of you think about _what_ is going to happen? The _future_?" He starts to pace around the room, gesturing outside. "The world is _falling apart._ I am _trying_ to somehow piece together some form of an army so it fucking _doesn't._ That means that I'm going to do things that are outside the realm of this castle – which means traveling with a queen who would provide us with not only the supplies we need but the men and the dragons as well. We have _no choice._ "

The room was silent for a second. Jon turns from one set of eyes to the next, all of who seemed to avoid his gaze.

"Typical," he sneers. "The moment I start to bring up the _logic_ of the situation, you all go silent, because she's right – you're _stuck_ in this mindset. We cannot just be brothers of the Night's Watch anymore. We must be soldiers of the _living._ People who will willingly join the cause to kill those _fuckers_ beyond the Wall." He looks over at Edd once more. "You. You saw each and every one of them, did you not?"

"I did, Lord Commander."

"How did that make you feel? Being in that blizzard?"

"It…it was terrifying."

"Do you want that to be our whole lives?" he asks, his voice rising. "This whole entire country covered in a wasteland of death?!"

"No!" he exclaims, followed by a couple of other heads that shook.

"Then stand up for it!" Jon snaps before looking at all of them. "Most of you stay here in your castle and do your duty. I get that. But your duty _far_ exceeds this castle now. Do you want to show that you're worth something to this society? You _fight_ for it. You fight with every single ounce that you have left in you and then you fight _some more_ because that is all that we can give right now! Do you all want to die?!"

"No!" they all yell back, some beginning to get riled up.

"Then rise up!" Jon yells. "You are all on your knees right now, begging for something to change. This is your _chance._ Don't throw away your shot!" He gestures outside once more. "We can do so much once we get her men – but that starts _right here._ And I need you to trust me that I am doing the right decision, as your Lord Commander. Do you?"

There was silence for a moment before many of them started to step forward saying either, "Yes, Lord Commander!" or "I do!" or the occasional "let's kill this dead man!" Some even began to bang on the table, and Jon feels his shoulders fall slightly. He had been hoping that maybe speaking to them about this would work better than just telling them the news. It seemed most started to agree.

"What's going to happen with the wildlings?" Jon hears Sam finally ask after a moment, which gains all of their attention again.

Jon sighs and nods. "Before Daenerys and I leave, we are going to be making sure they are all settled in their villages with the proper farmland. When the time calls, they will report to us to fight in the battle against the dead, as was their deal. I'm not going to leave without tying up the loose ends I have here." He leans against the table and sighs. "Don't expect me to leave anytime soon – we are still waiting for Ser Barristan to arrive safely back with my sister. Until then do as you're said."

"Who will be acting Lord Commander while you're gone?" Olly asks quietly from where he sat.

Jon bites his lip and shakes his head. "Honestly, I haven't thought about it yet. Someone will stand in my place while I gather the men. I'll give you my word before I leave." He exhales before nodding his hand, turning away. "Dismissed."

The brothers then scurry off, going back to their duties. Jon doesn't watch them leave, instead looks down at a map that was on the table, trying to see what the best route was for them to take to Essos. He feels a hand on his shoulder and sees Sam look at him, almost with a hurt expression in his eyes.

"You could have told me sooner."

Jon sighs. "It was a last-minute thing, Sam. She's been offering it to me for weeks. After what happened at Hardhome, I had to take it. However…I do have a mission for you. That way you're not all alone here at the Wall."

Sam's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Aemon isn't going to live forever. That's true and we need to accept that. Even if he has a bit of life in him now, it won't last. Everyone dies. But, what the Watch _will_ need is a new Maester. I think with how you've been apprenticing to Aemon, you would make an excellent replacement."

Sam's eyes widen. "You…you're serious? Really?"

Jon smiles a bit and nods. "Considering it's what you're best at, I think that would be good for you. Gilly and little Sam could stay elsewhere in Oldtown with you…get them away from the castle for a bit. I know your worth, Sam. Even if I'm halfway across the world, I'll still look out for you the best way I can."

Sam smiles and him before hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Jon. That means the world." He steps back a moment later, an embarrassed smile on his lips before it vanishes a second after. "However, uh…Aemon would really like to tell you and Daenerys his news before you two fly off."

Jon runs his hands through his hair once more. "I promise, tonight. We will hear it. Just not right now. I have to go over some things." He grabs the map, looking back at him. "But keep it fresh on your mind. We'll speak of it when things begin to turn a little lighter." He goes to leave before stopping and then turns to Sam with a slight smile on his lips. "I think things are beginning to look up, Sam."

* * *

_Daenerys_

' _He said yes!'_

No matter how many minutes seemed to pass, Daenerys couldn't get it out of her head. She had won – well to an extent. Jon was going to be coming with her. Back with her to Essos…quite possibly away from his horrible place.

For a time she really didn't think she would convince him, not one bit. He was so high-strung in his honor or whatever it was that she was almost positive it was impossible. But it turns out, all he truly needed was a nice kick. And now because of that, he was going to be coming with her. Gods, it felt like a dream.

Well, not entirely a dream. He didn't give her all that she wanted.

Truly, she understood where he was coming from. She knew she was thinking selfishly. She had developed feelings for the Lord Commander and he had for her as well – at least as obvious as he could make it without jumping on her, as much as she'd like that. But he was right. She was still fighting for the throne, on her own. If she went and married the first man she met, well…that wouldn't look quite right.

And yet, she hated the idea of someone else coming into her life. Sharing her bed. Speaking with her about roles like this. Truly…all she wanted was Jon. And that was a problem. But gods she wished it wasn't.

She sighs quietly after a moment, lowering her book. She had been reading it to somehow keep her mind occupied after what he had told her, thinking of her uncle. She wondered what the news could be that he felt was so important to share with her. Maybe he would be joining them as well in Essos? Sam had said he was feeling better lately. That would be splendid.

The possibilities were quite endless, but she didn't know exactly where it ended. A part of her wondered…if maybe she and Jon could work something out. But that was an entity that she'd discuss with Jon personally.

There was a sudden knock at her door and Daenerys quickly stood to approach it, almost expecting Jon. So she was surprised to see when she opened it that Olly was standing outside, his arms crossed, glancing at the ground. As soon as it was swung wide open, he looks up at her. "Queen Daenerys…right? May I speak with you?"

Daenerys smiles slightly before stepping aside. "Of course, Olly." The young boy walks in and she closes the door, watching him quietly take a seat in a chair by the fireplace. "I must say, Jon told me that you knew of our little game a little while ago. I am glad you didn't tell anyone."

Olly shrugs his shoulders lightly. "The Lord Commander made it quite clear what would happen if I did," Olly says simply, looking back at her. "And I didn't want to make him angrier than he already was. I just…never thought it would be a queen. I thought maybe a girl he had snuck in but…not you." He bites his lip and glances back at the ground. "I wanted, to um…talk with you about Jon."

Daenerys nods, walking over to where the young boy sat. She takes a seat across from him. "What is it, then?"

"He told us the news – that he's going to be going to Essos with you. Be honest…is it forever? Is he actually leaving us? I won't tell."

Daenerys bites her lip before responding. "Jon is never going to leave the cause here. All that he wants to do is fight for you and the rest of us. To make sure our children's children have a chance at living in this world. And honestly, I support him every step of the way. But…if he so chooses that he wants to live a life after this war, I will grant it to him. He deserves it after everything he's done. And what he will continue to do."

Olly nods quietly. "I always knew he was meant for things outside of the Watch…he welcomed me with open arms after the wildlings did the attack on my village. Not a lot of Lord Commander's would waste their time with a boy as young as me. It was appreciated. He trained me. He won't come back."

Dany's brow furrows. "Olly-"

"Don't try to convince me he will. I've seen the way he looks at you. Like today. If he has the choice, he'll stay by your side. Just take care of him…a lot of the other brothers here aren't…fond."

Daenerys feels her heart sink at the boy's words before nodding. "I will."

Olly nods in return before he looks back up at her. "I, uh…wanted to talk about the wildlings, too."

"What about them?" she asks softly.

"Um…I spoke to some of them. When they came through. Not the…older ones. The children that were there. Some that had lost their parents…I even spoke to a little girl. Her mother was among the carnage…Karsi? I think her name was?"

Daenerys stills slightly at the name. She remembered seeing the poor woman get ripped to shreds. "I do know her, yes."

"It was…strange. To talk with them like that." He looks back up at her. "It was so…simple. Like normal people, but I…I couldn't get what they did out of my head. To my family. To my mother and father. That red-headed one…what he did to them…"

Tormund. Gods.

Daenerys sighs. How on earth would she spin this? "Tormund…is a complicated man. He believes in what he believes because he was raised that way. Was it the right way? No. All we can do is hope that after what he saw in Hardhome, he will change his ways. I met a man who may seem tough on the outside, but he has a heart of gold. I know you may never forgive him for what he did to your family, but he will fight for you for the living. I know it. We can't fight this enemy divided and we must all come together as one if we want to stand a chance, regardless of our past mistakes."

Olly doesn't say anything, but he does nod slightly. Daenerys counts that as progress.

"In the terms of the wildlings…I'll give you an example. You know of my father, correct? Aerys?" Olly quietly nods in return. "He was a horrible man who did horrible things. However, you've met me. Am I like my father at all?"

"…no."

"I don't plan to be either," Daenerys states softly. "Now, think of the wildlings. Yes, you know _many_ who have committed horrible acts, but does that mean every single one is like that? Every single woman and child? Older man? Even the warriors? Just because someone may share a culture doesn't mean they all use it the same. I have met some fantastic wildlings because of going there, some sweet little boys and girls. But they shouldn't be cast to the side just because of the work of their ancestors. _Everyone_ should be given a fresh chance before they are found guilty. That little girl you talked to was probably ecstatic to see that someone cared about her after losing her mother."

He remained quiet but looked up at her, seemingly trying to say something. "I…I want to think they're good. I do. I just…" His words trail off.

She reaches over and rests a hand against his shoulder. "It'll take time, I understand that. But the fact that you _want_ to is a step in the right direction. That's all that matters. And as long as you keep that state of mind ahead of you, nothing will stop you in the wars to come."

Olly smiles slightly. "Do you think one day I'll be as good as Jon?"

Daenerys snorts. "I think if you train hard enough you can beat him. I believe in you."

He smiles again at that, but before he could speak there was another solid knock on the door. Daenerys stands to go answer that, and again, is presented with someone she did not expect. Thorne, of all people. He bows his head.

"My queen." He glances back up and then nods at Olly. "Get out of here, boy. I have to speak to her."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow before nodding to Olly. "I'll see you at dinner, Olly. It was nice to speak with you." Olly offers a smile to her – although she does see that this one doesn't quite reach his eyes. It was almost…queasy. Uneasy. But before she could ask what was wrong, he was out the door. Once the boy had exited, Thorne closes the door behind him and she moves over to her desk, leaning against it to look at him. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"I was shocked to see the sister of Rhaegar Targaryen alive," Thorne comments lightly. "I didn't think you or Viserys had survived."

"We ran away," she states bluntly. "Or at least, he brought me with him. Somehow, we survived for years. And here I am now."

"Here you are…outliving every single last one of them." Thorne shakes his head before coming over to her side. She instantly steps back towards the fire, looking at the dragon eggs that were kept warm close to it. The last thing she wanted was to be close to this man. "You know, I fought for Rhaegar."

"I know, Jon's told me," she answers honestly, turning to look at him. "It was the reason why you were sent here, correct?"

"It was, indeed…I supported everything he stood for. I never believed a story of what they said about him…he was a good man. And I stand by that to this day." He stands up back against the desk before bringing his arms up against his chest, crossing them. "Jon fucking Snow, however…is not."

"Ex…excuse me?" she chuckles, almost in disbelief. "Are you conspiring against your Lord Commander?"

"Snow is a massive mistake in bringing you abroad," Thorne states. "He's made horrible decisions – he may want to build this army of his, but there's no doubt in my mind that the moment this is done, those wildlings will tear our throats out and eat us for dinner. That's _always_ been how they are. And they will _continue_ to be like that. He's only going to drag your name through the mud, Daenerys-"

" _Your grace,_ " she corrects him, her tone sharp.

He clears his throat and nods. "Your grace," he responds, heading to her words. "Even so, Snow may know something about leading, but he is a violent man. You saw what he did to me today in the meeting room-"

"And you deserved it," she mutters.

His brow raises. "What? For asking a question about your wellbeing?"

"My wellbeing has nothing to do with you and all to do with Jon. If anything he should have thrown a _chair_ at you – Thorne, I am tired and my side is hurting. What is it that you wish to ask? There's a catch to this."

"I don't think you should take Jon with you. I believe you should take me."

Her brow raises in shock. "Take _you?_ Why in the _world_ would I take you? Because you served my brother? You came here because of _him_?" Thorne was quiet for a moment, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. She continues to speak. "Thorne, I don't know if you've noticed, but Jon isn't just a leader here. He has ties to his family, to multiple other houses in the North. _He_ would be able to bring people to this army, _not you._ Would you be a worthy protector? Possibly. But _nothing_ compared to what Jon can bring."

She shakes her head, almost laughing.

"And do you _really_ think I would take someone in my ranks who _regularly_ disagrees with every single little thing his _commanding_ officer tells him to do? Who's to say that you wouldn't do that to me the _moment_ you disagreed with one of my choices? I need people to back up what I think, not constantly go against me." She walks forward, pointing her finger to his chest. "And let's not forget what you did to a young boy the first day he was here."

"I didn't know it was you!"

"It's the _principal,_ Thorne!" she snaps. "It doesn't matter if it was me or a dog! The fact of the matter is that you took up a young boy in a fight that you _knew_ was the underdog, that you could _easily_ cut down, all to anger Jon and hurt someone else. You slit my stomach open, Thorne. I still have the fucking scar! And you expect me to have a man with _those_ values within my core? You're out of your mind."

He was completely silent, but she could see the anger in his eyes at her words. She shakes her head and turns away.

"My decision is final. Jon is going to come with me. You will stay here. Now leave my sight. I never want to hear of this again."

"Dae-"

"I said, **_leave._** "

He glares at her angrily but doesn't speak. Instead, she hears his feet stomp heavily out of her chambers before the door slams shut. The fire sways in the wind as it rushes inside but stays lit. She exhales softly before collapsing onto the bed, holding her side in pain. She had been standing for so long it had begun to hurt again.

Fucking Thorne. Where did he get off? Did he _really_ think she would take him? Just because he was a Targaryen loyalist before? He was ridiculous.

Some people just didn't know their place. For Jon, she knew it was somewhere better in this world, but for Thorne, he deserved to be here, regardless of what he'd done in the past for her family. He was a horrid man. And there was no room for horrible people in her ranks.

She sighs and grabs a cup of water from her table, taking a sip and glancing over at the fire. No matter what happened, at least she would have Jon. And that was all that mattered. Not bloody Thorne.

"Madness, that's what it is," she mutters to herself before taking a long sip of her water.

* * *

_Jon_

Night came quicker than most, and soon Jon was coming to Daenerys' chambers once more to grab her for dinner. When he came in there, though, he was surprised to see her standing over her desk, looking down at a long map that was laying across the wood. When he came closer, he could see that it was of Essos.

He closes the door gently before walking over. "What are you doing?" he asks curiously.

"Trying to figure out the best route for the Unsullied to come here," she mutters before looking up at him. "Come here – if you're going to be a part of my ranks you must help me with these things."

He smiles a bit at the phrase but nods, coming over to her side. She points to where Slaver's Bay was.

"All of my Unsullied are stationed with me now in Meereen, which is right on the water, at the very top of Slaver's Bay. Since we _do_ technically still have Stannis' ships, they could be used to help us bring all of my men over to Westeros. However, it's not enough. There are thousands of them and I don't know if the couple of ships Stannis provided you for the wildlings here would be good to bring my men, my dragons, as well as more possibly if we convince others to join the cause. And then, there's the case of travel. How would they get there? Would people assume they're traveling to Meereen? What if's everywhere, really…just concerned about what might happen. You have any ideas?"

She turns her eyes to look up at him as he concentrated on the map. "I do, actually." He looks back at her. "You're right. Stannis' ships are not going to be nearly enough, and if I'm being _completely_ honest, I want to keep those here for the North. If we convince enough Northmen to come down and fight your war, they're going to need it to be able to travel better."

"Alright, then what ships do you propose I use?"

"The Greyjoy's."

Her brow raises in shock at his words. "The _Greyjoy's?_ I thought you despised Theon after what happened."

"I do," Jon mutters. "But deceptions about the past from certain people can't stop us from uniting with them when we need them the most. Theon may not be on the Iron Islands anymore, bus his sister, Yara, is, from what I can collect. I think there might be another Greyjoy out there as well but I'm not sure who. Even so, having an alliance with her would be helpful for you. The Iron Fleet has some of the best ships in the world, if not _the_ best. Very sturdy and can hold a lot." He looks down at her. "And with how many men you might have, it would work in your favor."

She bites her lip, glancing back at the map. "Would she come to Meereen?"

"Most likely, yes. But I wouldn't say anything until we maybe sent her a letter or something. Invite her to come. Don't want her showing up when we're not there." Jon steps back from the map and glances at the fire. "And not for nothing but quite sure her alliance wouldn't require marriage."

He could see the look of perplexity on her face. "Oh, you don't know that." She walks to his side, standing by the flames. "She might be quite _convincing."_

Jon rolls his eyes before looking back at her. "I heard you spoke with Olly from Sam?"

Daenerys smiles and nods. "I did, actually. It was…a good conversation." She looks back up at him. "I think I actually might have gotten through to him."

Jon's brow raises. "Really?"

"To an extent…I don't know if he would ever be able to forgive Tormund. If I was in that situation I don't think I ever would…but I think he might be able to get used to the younger wildlings that didn't do anything. Deep down he's still a boy. And younger kids want to be around other kids. He might try to accept them more."

Jon smiles at her, a warm one. "That's amazing to hear…I didn't think anyone would get through to him."

Daenerys chuckles. "It only takes the right person to speak some sense into people. Look at you." She glances at the ground and sighs. "I also, uh…had an interesting run-in with Thorne." Jon instantly tenses up as he looks at her, his hands gripping the edge of the desk. She turns back to him. " _He_ wanted to come with me instead of you."

Jon's brow raises. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. He thought that bringing you was a mistake and that I should bring him…you might want to handle that." She grabs a goblet of wine that was on her desk, taking a sip. Jon had tried to get some delivered from Moles Town for her. "He's in direct violation of his oath. That's a call for death."

Jon bites his lip and shrugs. "Well…technically, I am too."

" _Technically,_ you have a powerful woman on your side that can absolve you from your watch at any time. _He_ does not." She lowers the goblet to the desk once more when she takes a drink, before coming over to his side. "And come on…I know you've been looking for a reason to kill him. With the way you reacted to what he did today? I'm surprised you aren't going off right now."

Jon sighs lightly, before walking over towards her bed, taking a seat at the edge of it. The furs settle near his bottom. "Usually I would but I…I wanted to relax a bit." He looks up at her and smiles a little. "It's been a massive day and I wanted to come in and rest with my favorite person."

She smiles at his words before coming over to him. "And tell me, Jon Snow." Before he could say anything, she descends onto one of his legs that was resting against the bed, setting herself right in his lap. Her arms wrap around his neck. He feels himself still slightly. "What way of _relaxation_ did you have in mind?"

Jon rolls his eyes. "Dany, I didn't mean that," he mutters, but with her in his arms like this, her hands stroking the soft curls at the back of his head, this close, he was finding it very hard to _not meant that._

The woman smirks lightly before moving back a bit so she wasn't as close. Jon instantly misses the closeness. "Well, fine then." She stands and walks over to the fire, standing near it and looking down at the eggs. He watches as she easily reaches into the flames and adjusts the eggs, no burning of hands. It still amazed him. "You know, just because we aren't getting married doesn't mean we can't have fun. I have someone back in Meereen."

He _instantly_ stands. " _What?_ "

That had seemed to get her attention and that same fucking smirk was sent to him, and _gods_ he knew it. She was _enjoying_ this. "Ah, yes. His name is Daario Naharis. A fine young man. He came from Tyrosh. Became a sellsword. One of my _best_ protectors. And someone to keep my bed warm." She raises her brow at him. "Unless you want to prove him wrong in all those fields."

He feels his hands turn to fists. "…do you love him?" Jon asks after the fact.

Daenerys flat-out laughs. "No. He's a good man, but I know I could never. He just doesn't have that…certain spark." She glances back at the fire, smiling again. "It's a sad tale though, that I don't. What he can do with his tong-"

" _Dany._ "

He didn't mean for it to come out so brash, but he couldn't stand to hear that. She turns to him, seeing his aggravated expression, and that only makes her smirk more. She slowly walks over to him. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I talking too loud? Do you not like hearing when other men touch me? Pity." She walks over to him, right until she was under him, her eyes narrowed, testing him. "It's a shame you won't do anything about it."

She steps back from him after that, walking back to her goblet of wine. But before she could even pick it up, he stalks over, knocks it out of her hand, and then turns her back around, pushing her against the desk. She stares at him in shock as his hands pin down hers, trapping her between the desk and his body. "What makes you think I won't?" he growls.

And that sends that smirk right back onto her face. "Then _do it._ I've had a bastard's kiss before. I wonder if yours is better," she teases, an edge to her voice.

Gods, all he wanted was to knock that _fucking smirk_ right off of her face. _So much._ And honestly, at this point, he didn't care. He didn't fucking care. The very _idea_ of some other lonely fuck touching this goddess in front of him angered him to a point he didn't even know he could reach. He wanted to strangle the guy blind. But more importantly, he wanted to fuck her until she couldn't _tease_ him anymore.

But, when he finally gives in to his resolve and reaches up, cupping the back of her head, feeling her melt in his arms the moment he started to draw close, there was a _fucking knock at the door._ The two of them groan before he rests his head against her shoulder, trying to calm himself down.

"Son of a bitch," he hears Dany mutter, and it makes him chuckle. It was still always a treat to hear the queen curse.

He pulls his head back up and looks down at her, seeing the look of disappointment on her face before he leans down and presses a light kiss against her forehead. "Later. I promise," he murmurs to her, his fingers resting against her chin. That gets a smile onto her lips before she nods.

He takes a step back and glances at the door, subtly adjusting himself in his trousers before walking over. The last thing he wanted was for another brother to see him with his cock peeking out.

When he opens the door, he sees Sam standing there, his brow raised in surprise. "Oh, you're in here. Good, twice the luck." He steps in to see Daenerys, who had readjusted her dress before he could come in. "Are the two of you ready for the news yet because I'm losing my mind."

Daenerys chuckles lightly before nodding. "Alright, alright. Let's go get it. We did promise you." Jon feels his shoulders drop as she follows Sam, but she reaches out and takes his hand. She leans up to this ear and whispers, "you did say later. We'll have fun afterward. We need to stick to our promises _now._ "

Jon looks down at her, seeing the little bit of light in her eyes. He wanted to make sure that stayed in there.

But, before he could say anything, there was someone suddenly running towards them down the hall. When they stepped into the light, Jon's brow furrows when he sees Thorne. While he would normally have torn into the man the moment he arrived, there was a look of worry on his face. "Lord Commander, there's been word from one of the wildlings. They said they know where your Uncle Benjen is."

Jon's brow raises in shock. He hadn't heard of his uncle in _years._ "Are you sure he's talking about Benjen?"

"He says he was first Ranger before he defected years ago. Says he knows where to find him!" Thorne says to him, breathing heavily. "You might be able to bring him back home!"

Jon looks to Daenerys and Sam, both of which seemed surprised at the news. Daenerys was the one to speak first. "Go and speak to the wildling. I'll wait in my chambers for you. Once you return, the two of us will go to Aemon's chambers. Sam doesn't need to escort us."

"Are you sure?"

"It's your family. Of course I'm sure."

Sam shrugs his shoulders and sighs. "Alright, the two of you, just make your way there at _some point_ tonight." Sam shakes his head as he walks away. Jon could distinctly hear him mutter. "Harder to get those two alone than a bloody corpse."

Daenerys offers Jon an encouraging smile before going back into her chambers, closing the door behind her. He turns back to Thorne and nods. "Let's go."

* * *

_Daenerys_

She feels herself sigh once the door was closed, her eyes closing as she listened to his footsteps run away. She had a feeling they would be here longer than she had expected, but if it was to find another one of Jon's family, she would do it for him.

Especially if they _finally_ gave in to what they were feeling. Gods, why did Sam have to interrupt _then?_

Daenerys feels herself chuckle before grabbing her goblet of wine, taking a sip. Now _that_ had been the wolf she had wanted to see. And she prayed she saw more of it once this was over. They got the news that they needed to hear and then could come back to her chambers and just…

Even the thought made her smile with glee. Her side still hurt so much, but she had a feeling he'd be gentle – for as long as she allowed it.

However, as she raised the goblet to her lips, there was a sudden heavy pounding against the door, rapidly. She quickly goes to open it and was surprised to see a tear-stricken Olly looking up at her, his eyes desperate. "My gods, Olly, what is wrong?!"

"They're going to kill him!" he cries out. She feels herself still. "They've been planning it since his freakout this morning and I…I didn't know who to tell and I…I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"B…Benjen isn't real, is he?"

"…no," Olly whispers.

" _Fuck!"_ she curses before grabbing his hand. "We have to go, _now!"_

* * *

_Jon_

When they walk down the stairway to the courtyard, he sees Bowen Marsh standing at the edge of it. "Is this real? He really knows something?" he asks quickly.

"Man says he saw your uncle at Hardhome at the last full moon," he explains.

Jon sighs. "He could be lying," he comments as they approached the crowd that was gathered at the gates, looking at something.

"Could be. There are ways of which you can find out," Thorne states.

"Where is he?"

"Over there."

Jon pushes through the group of brothers, some of which were holding torches, trying to see who it was that was standing at the gates. But as he made his way through, he feels himself completely still when he sees what was there.

It was a hammered down piece of wood, a sign that was painted with large, dark letters. ' **Traitor.** '

" _Jon, no!"_ He suddenly hears her scream, and he instantly turns the moment he hears Daenerys' voice.

But he's given no time to find her, as something sharp pierces straight through his stomach. He feels the air leave him as he stares in shock at Alliser. "Hold them down!" he commands angrily, as many of the brothers start to separate from the group. He hears a struggle. "For the watch," he whispers to Jon, before pulling the knife out of him harshly.

It's followed by another stab, and another stab, and another, all saying, "For the Watch" right after. His vision starts to turn blurry. It's getting harder to breathe. Blood is seeping through his clothes. He falls to his knees.

"Stop!" he hears her wail. "You're killing him! **_Stop!_** " They were heartbroken screams.

He manages to find her through his blurry vision. There was one brother that had her pinned down against the snow. She was thrashing about, trying to break free, but the brother was too strong for her. There were two that were holding down Olly, who was crying, telling them to stop as well.

"D…Dany…" he croaks out.

There were tears streaming down her face, streams and screams of curses leaving her mouth that were being thrown at the brothers. Some that winced in response. But there was nothing she could do. Nothing he could do.

He feels someone grab his head from behind, taking a knife. "Fucking pathetic excuse for a commander," he hears Thorne mutter before he takes his knife once more. And then, in one quick turn, he takes the knife and stabs it deep into Jon's chest, right through his heart. He hears a shattering cry pierce the air as he falls down onto the snow.

Life begins to fade from him. He turns his head weakly, seeing Daenerys finally break free of her captors, pushing through the men to get through to him. But by then, it was too late. He feels her soft hands touch his face when she collapses to the ground, but her voice was gone. The screams disappear. The world begins to seep away.

' _I failed her._ ' And then everything turned black.

* * *

_Daenerys_

Her hands were covered in blood. She was crying, wailing, saying, "No, no, _no!_ _Wake up!"_ over and over again. Praying to the gods that this was some cruel trick. This was a horrid dream. But this was real. It was all real. His eyes were lifeless. His body still.

She screamed once more, feeling her body collapse against his own, hugging it close to her, praying, gods _praying so much_ that she felt her voice would fall apart. But it was useless. Never in her life had she felt so powerless. Because he was _gone._

Jon Snow was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, we knew it was coming but it still hurt to write. 
> 
> A lot of you asked me if I was going to go with his book death but I decided against it because honestly (and this is a personal thing) I HATE slit throats lol I know it's one of the worst ways to die and it would be fitting here but I couldn't picture him with the scar without gagging so that's a personal thing lol but I still wanted to make it heartbreaking, so, we do the age-old tale - bring Dany into that shit. And um currently grabbing tissues because the very idea makes me wanna cry sorry I'm a big old softie
> 
> Please let me know what you guys thought of this chapter, as your comments always inspire me to push out these chapters for you. I worked my butt of for this because I was so desperate to get it out because again these chapters just keep getting more fun for me to write and hearing your feedback has been absolutely amazing, so thank you all - you have all been so amazingly awesome! I hope ya'll don't hate me after this XD don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join our little story, and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: The real dragon emerges from Daenerys.


	11. The Revelations Among Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys doesn't play games anymore, and a shocking revelation turns her world upside down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My god pretty sure that last chapter was my most-reviewed chapter EVER and ya'll were freaking awesome, so thank you so much for the amazing response! There were a lot of theories that were spread out about what's going on and I promise you they will be answered in the next two chapters so stay tuned. I hope you enjoy! :)

_Daenerys_

Numb.

Daenerys didn't think it was possible to feel this much pain and yet feel nothing at all. When she had been stabbed at Hardhome, it had hurt, and healing had hurt almost more. But this…it was indescribable.

He was laying on the ground, her hands covered in his blood. He was completely still. Lifeless. She didn't even know how to react. Her ears seemed to be completely dulled to her senses. Everything sounded muffled. All she could see was the blood that she put onto his cheeks when cupping them.

' _He's gone,_ ' her mind thinks, over and over, tears continuing to stream down her cheeks. Her hands were shaking. Everything hurt.

However, one phrase did seem to break its way through to her head, and she instantly turns when she hears it. "Kill the boy!"

"NO!" she instantly screams, seeing a man hold down Olly against the ground, a knife against his head. "Stop with the killing for fuck's sake!"

"He told you," Thorne hisses at her. "He deserves to die-"

"I won't tell anyone," she quickly states, letting out a slow breath. "Please…if you leave Olly alive, we will leave. Right now. We won't ever come back."

Thorne's eyes narrow. "What makes you think we're going to believe that?"

"Because I was already planning on leaving, with or without Jon…you've just expedited the process," she shakily states. "But Olly doesn't have to die…he warned me but it didn't change shit. Let the boy live. He doesn't deserve it."

Thorne stares at her angrily before nodding at one of his men. They instantly drop Olly and he scurries away, standing up and running to her side. She protectively places him behind her, staring at the men, all of which seemed to approach her. Some still had their knives brandished.

"Why shouldn't we kill you?" Thorne asks her lowly. "You saw his death. You're just as much of a liability as that boy."

"Because without me you will all die from those White Walkers," she instantly responds, trying to clear her head. She couldn't let this get to her. She _couldn't._ "You won't have my men. You won't have my dragons…Jon Snow was a practically unknown man. You kill me, you'll have all of my followers descending hell onto this castle. Is that what you want?"

That seemed to get through to him for a moment. The sneer expression turned to one of slight concern. He takes a step back. "Let her go. She doesn't even have a sword. She can barely walk. She's of no danger to us."

She watches as each one of them turns away, and she memorizes the faces of the ones who had stabbed him. She takes a quick glance at Jon's body before swiftly turning, guiding Olly out first. She could hear their mutters and conversations dull as they walked away from the gates, around the trees in the distance. Olly kept trying to ask her questions, but she doesn't respond until they were hidden.

By the time they were around the trees, she turned to Olly, seeing tears streaming down his face. "Olly. Eyes here." He looks up at her. "What is it?"

"I'm…I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I…"

Daenerys feels her shoulders drop before kneeling down, hugging the boy tightly. She takes his moment to let out every single last emotion she felt, feeling the boy break down against her. She lets her own tears slip out, but she needed to remain strong. There was only so much she could do by crying.

She needed to take action. And they needed to do it now.

When she pulls back from him, she rests her hands on his shoulders. "I don't blame you for what happened. You didn't know what to do. You know now." He swallows as she stands, looking back to Castle Black in the distance. "But Thorne and all his men have forgotten one thing."

Olly's brow furrows. "What is that?"

In the distance, she could hear Ghost howling from Jon's chambers, and she instantly feels her hands tighten into fists. "That they have messed with a dragon," she mutters angrily. "They think I'm going to stay here? Run away like a little girl? Fuck that." She looks down at Olly. "Stay by my side. We're going back."

"I…I though-"

"I only said that to get us away so he wouldn't kill us too. I'm not letting anyone else die today unless it's them. Now take my hand, stay in the shadows. We're going to sneak back in."

Olly looks at her hand slightly before letting out a solid nod. He takes her hand, and they quickly start to move back through the snow, as best as she could, making sure to stay behind the shadows of the trees until they were walking towards the gate. It was still swung open, and she sneaks him in first considering he was smaller, before moving herself through the cracks as well.

Daenerys quickly looks around, seeing the footsteps of the betrayers in the snow, heading into what was probably the meeting room. She walks over to Jon's body, which was still lying deep in the snow, blood surrounding him. Gods, those fuckers hadn't even _taken it._

"Olly, stand guard," she commands, and he nods, waiting near the entrance to see if anyone comes out. She quickly goes over to his body, her hands shaking. There was no way she could carry him out of here. Her side still hurt and he was far too heavy even then. Where was Sam? Maybe he could help.

Or someone. Anyone. Fuck.

"Dany!" she quickly hears from her side, Olly's fierce whisper breaking her from her stupor. She quickly stands and grabs at a lone knife on the ground, aiming it at the direction Olly pointed but feels herself still.

There was an older man riding on a horse, his hair short and grey, but he looked at the boy of Jon in complete shock and then at her. "What the hell has happened here?!" He quickly jumps off the horse but Daenerys does not move her knife from its spot, aiming it at him. He doesn't move.

"Who are you?" she asks slowly.

The man doesn't move for a second, staring at the knife before looking at her. "Ser Davos Seaworth. I serve under Stannis Baratheon…or, I guessed served is the best statement. Who are you?"

"Daenerys Targaryen," she states back. She could see his eyes widen when she says that, but she doesn't move her stance.

"Why are you here?"

"It's…it's a long story." She lowers the knife, her arm starting to feel tired as well as her side. "I'd rather not tell it. Are you a friend of Jon Snow's? Or…or were, I suppose?" she bites out. Davos approaches her, looking down at Jon's body.

"Did you kill him?"

" _No,_ " she hisses at him, and he instantly takes a step back. She takes a deep breath and exhales, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, I just…it's been a long day. I would never have killed him. The men here at the Night's Watch who didn't agree with what he said killed him. They're in the building, and they don't think I'm here. But I wanted to come back to…do something with his body or get revenge or…. _something._ "

Tears start to threaten to fall. She sees Davos kneels down beside his body, examining the wounds. There are sudden shouts from above, and Dany turns her head to see a couple of other brothers come down, staring at Jon in shock.

"It's the Lord Commander!"

Edd suddenly appears behind the others, rushing down the stairs to where Daenerys was with Davos. She almost expects them to blame her considering they were in this position, but instead, they lean down, looking at the body. Davos nods to her before looking at the other men. "Help me get him inside."

Daenerys watches as they pick up his body with ease, and for the first time that night, she was thankful for these brothers. They carry him away towards where his chambers were, and she watches Davos help them up the stairs. She didn't know who this man was but as long as he was helping them, she didn't care.

For a moment, she stares at the pool of blood on the ground, flashes, and images of him being stabbed dashing through her mind, but she shakes her head and urges Olly forward. "Come on. Let's follow them before someone sees us."

* * *

They enter into his chambers quickly, and Daenerys sees Edd clear the table, before placing his body down. His hands touch Jon's wounds before they swipe up and close his lifeless eyes. He shakes his head, an angry sneer on his face. "Thorne did this. Him and his fucking men." He looks over at Daenerys. "We heard your screams from up above. We didn't know what was happening…I'm sorry we weren't quick enough."

She shakes her head, approaching Jon's body, letting her hands rest at the edge of the table. "You don't need to apologize. There were too many of them…they would have overpowered all of us."

"How many of your brothers do you think you can trust?" Davos asks.

"Trust? Only the men in this room."

Davos looks over at Daenerys. "Do you trust her?"

She glances up at the question, and she sees Edd nod his head. "I do. We all do. She's been helpful to Jon for some time now." She smiles weakly at Edd, grateful for the bit of support she could receive, but feels her eyes gravitate back towards Jon.

"Does the wolf trust any of you?"

"He trusts me," Daenerys states softly, looking over at Ghost who was whimpering in the corner. The poor direwolf didn't know what to do with his master's body. She holds out her hand and instantly he rushes over, burying his head against her palm.

"Good," Davos mutters. "We're going to need all the help we can get." He looks at her. "I'm sorry, I have to ask again – why are you here?"

Daenerys sighs and looks over at him. "I was having trouble in Meereen leading my people. I came here to speak to my great uncle. I grew close to Jon…I was planning on taking him with me to fight against the White Walkers, so he could get the men that he needed. The people here…didn't like that. Nor did they believe he was making the right choice with the wildlings." She looks back at him. "I thought Stannis was dead?"

She sees Davos swallow and nod, glancing away. "He…he is. He sent me here to see if I would be able to convince Jon to bring wildlings to fight his battles, but halfway through I heard the news. Traveled faster than a wildfire. I still don't know where that bloody red priestess went." He glances at the ground and shakes his head. "I served him because he gave me a chance to be something better than I was, but he just kept…making bad decisions. There was nothing I could do." He lets out a long sigh and looks back at Jon. "I decided to just keep riding North at one point because I believed the threat of the White Walkers. I wanted to help. I didn't think I'd arrive to…well, _this._ "

Daenerys could see the regret in his eyes, mixed with other emotions. Pain, sadness, anger – it was all combined into one. "He didn't deserve to be killed," she whispers.

"No…no he didn't," he responds. He glances back at the brothers. "He'll have seen that we didn't come at this point. Thorne will have made it official by now. Castle Black is his."

Edd snorts. "I don't give a fuck who sits at that high table. Jon was my friend, and those fuckers butchered him. Now we'll return the favor."

"We don't have the numbers," Davos states.

Edd glances at where Ghost was. "We have a direwolf."

"Ghost will be shot in ten seconds flat if we let him take care of everything," Daenerys states quietly, finally speaking once more. "They have crossbows. He's not invincible."

"She's right. It's not enough," Davos states. "I didn't know Lord Commander Snow for long, but I have to believe that he wouldn't want his friends – nor a Southern _queen_ – dying for nothing."

"Death doesn't scare me," Daenerys instantly states. "I've faced it before. I came back here because I was planning on killing the traitors."

Davos looks at her in surprise. Edd continues to speak. "If you were planning on seeing tomorrow, you picked the wrong room. We all die today, and when we do, I say we do our best to take down Thorne with us when we go."

Davos sighs at his words. "We need to fight but we don't need to die. Not if we have the help."

"Who's going to help us?" another brother asks from the side.

Davos gestures outside. "You're not the only ones who owe your lives to Jon Snow, remember?"

Daenerys sees realization dawn over Edd's face. He turns to the brothers. "Bolt the door. Don't let anyone in unless you are _sure_ you can trust them. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Wait."

Her hands had taken to gripping the table, her fingers pulling at it so tightly that her knuckles were white. She could see them looking at her, waiting for her to speak, before she looks up, her gaze hard.

"I'm leaving as well."

Edd's brow raises. "Are you sure that's a good idea to come with me when your side is like that?"

"I'm not coming with you," she mutters, before walking over to one of the men. "Hand me your sword." He instantly takes it out, giving the holster to her. She wraps it around her hips tightly, and while it did hurt, she doesn't flinch. "You may go and get the wildlings. Bring Tormund and every single last one of them back here. I'm going to get some more help."

Davos' brow furrows. "What?"

"You'll see." She looks to Edd, and she could see that he knew _exactly_ what she was talking about. He slowly nods and opens the door for her. She turns to Olly. "I'll be back soon. Stay in here with the men."

Olly nods lightly before she exits the room, not leaving any more time for someone to question her decisions. Edd runs up behind her. "There are horses near the stable. I'll take one and you take one?"

"Yes. Meet back here?"

"You got it." Before she parts ways with him, he rests a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. For what you're going to do."

"Don't thank me," she states quietly. "They have only brought fire and blood upon themselves."

Edd nods to that before racing off towards his horse. She climbs onto her own, feeling pain emerge from her side but she doesn't let that stop her. Once she settles herself along the black beauty that she was given, she kicks the side, and the horse takes off. Her hair flies back in the wind, but her eyes stay crystal sharp in front of her.

They would soon find out what happened when someone _fucked_ with the dragon queen.

* * *

_Davos_

He did not expect to come back to mutiny.

Davos had known that some people didn't agree with how Jon did things here. He knew that most wouldn't agree with the wildlings coming south of the Wall. Davos couldn't have given two shits either way because it would be men that could be used for fighting. But never did he think those decisions would lead to Jon's death.

He hadn't seemed like a bad man by any means. He had a level head on his shoulders and was looking out for the people of the world instead of just the men of the Night's Watch. Davos could get behind someone like that. But this…this was horrible.

Daenerys had said she was planning on taking him with her. That might have been the last straw. To them, he must have been leaving his vows. To him, it was an opportunity that he was seizing. And Davos was on Jon's side. This was a matter of life and death, and yet here he was because they couldn't see the bigger picture.

It made him sick.

He wondered about Daenerys. Stannis had told him stories of what she had been doing in the East, freeing the slaves and building an army. At a certain point, Stannis had said that she would be a viable threat to the throne and would have to look out for her. Now, Stannis was dead and here she still stood, standing.

He also wondered about what exactly had happened between the Lord Commander and the Dragon Queen, as most called her. What had made them so close that she would get this upset over his death? He had seen that she was injured by the blood that had leaked from her side, but there had to be more than that.

Even so, she was gone doing gods knew what now, while some of the other brothers were regularly looking at the door. Davos made his way over to Olly, who had sat in the corner. "I know you must be feeling something awful, young lad."

Olly swallows and nods his head. "I could have stopped it…I should have told them sooner." He looks back up at him. "Daenerys said it was fine that I didn't but I…I'm always going to regret it." He glances away. "I can only hope that what she's doing right now will end their lives for what they did."

"Speaking of that," Davos pipes up. "What exactly _is_ she doing?"

Before Olly could speak, however, there was a frantic knocking at the door. They pull their swords, but most lower when they hear the voice. "Please, open up! Open up!"

One of the brothers rushes over. Davos sees the man who was knocking appear from the corner of the room, and he spots the plump figure, followed by a distressed look. _Samwell._ "Please…please don't tell me it's true. I heard it in the meeting room but I ran as soon as I did…"

"He can't be dead," comes another voice. _Maester Aemon._

The brother steps aside. Sam instantly steps in, followed by Aemon, and the brother then quickly closes the door, latching it. Their reactions were different as soon as their eyes were laid upon his body.

Sam runs over to the body, nearly falling to his knees. Davos could see tears in the man's eyes. "No…" he whispers, his hands shaking. He grips the table before turning to look at the men. "We…we heard it from Aemon's room but we couldn't get there quick enough. Then Gilly came and said that she saw his body and I didn't believe her…" He swallows and shakes his head. "I heard them talking in the room and I…I had to see…"

Davos could see the man was sniffling, holding back his tears. He turns to Aemon, who was standing near the entrance of the door. He had a cane, and his eyes were open yet blinded. However, he could see that there wasn't sadness on his face.

There was anger.

"Thorne did this, didn't he?" Aemon asks, his voice strained.

"Aye, he did," Davos states.

"That fucking _idiot._ "

Davos looks at the man in shock. He had heard of stories of Aemon, that he was very calm-minded and tended to never get angry. He didn't even think the man cursed. And judging by everyone's reactions in the room of surprise to his words, they _all_ seemed stunned at the outburst. "Aemon-"

"Thorne has no idea who this man is." He was shaking. "No idea."

Davos' brow furrows. "What do you mean?" Sam looks up quietly from where he knelt beside Jon's body, glancing at Aemon. The old man, however, does not speak. Instead, he shakes his head and exhales slowly.

"It's not my place to tell. I was _supposed_ to tell him and Daenerys, but it seems life kept getting in the way…and now he is _dead_ and she is – where is my niece? Where did she go?! Did they kill her too?! They _just_ came back! I didn't even get to see her!"

Davos walks over to the now-frightened Aemon, placing his hands gently on his shoulders. "Daenerys is fine, at least from what I saw. She went off into the woods to apparently grab some help? No one's told me what she's referring to, though."

He sees a look of realization come over his face before he almost _smirks,_ and then his frightened expression disappears. "Ah…I see." He quietly walks towards where Jon's body was, with Sam gently guiding him near. "They have awoken the dragon, haven't they?"

Davos rolls his eyes. "Why is it that Targaryen's always speak in riddles?" he mutters.

Aemon chuckles before turning to him. "You will see. They will _all_ see what happens when they tangle with a Targaryen."

At that moment, there was a heavy knocking on the door. Every single one of the brothers pulls their swords. Davos sighs and walks towards the entrance. "Ser Davos," he hears from the other side, and he recognizes the voice as Thorne. "We have no cause to fight. We are both anointed knights."

Davos fights back a snort before looking to the others in there. "Hear that? Nothing to fear."

"I will grant amnesty to all brothers who throw down their arms by nightfall," Thorne continues. "And you, Ser Davos, I will allow you to travel south, a free man with a fresh horse."

Davos raises an eyebrow, glancing at the ground. "And some mutton. I'd like some mutton."

There was a pause. "What?"

"I'm not much of a hunter. I'll need some food if I'm going to make it south without starving."

He could almost hear Thorne's eyeroll. "We'll give you food. Whatever you want. But surrender my nightfall or this ends with blood." There was another pause on the other side before he speaks once more. "Oh. And we know Olly and Daenerys are in there." Davos looks over at Olly, who freezes. "If you hand them over now, we'll go easy on them for betraying what they promised."

Aemon snorts. "Promise what, you fool?!" he yells.

Another pause. "Aemon? You're in there?"

"Yes, I am, you inconsiderate bimbo! And you have no idea what you have unleashed upon yourself. I would rather fall to my knees and die right now than hand over my niece to you treacherous slimes! Or the small boy. He has more honor in his little body than you ever will have in your old and shaky thumbs!"

Davos sees the boy smile lightly at that despite the situation. He hears Throne sigh before he speaks once more. "Make your decisions."

"Thank you, Ser Alliser. We'll discuss amongst ourselves and come back to you with an answer." There was no response, and he could hear their footsteps walk away. When he knew it was quiet, he turns to the rest of the men, specifically Aemon. "Didn't know you could curse someone out, old man."

Aemon shrugs lightly. "It's my family. My _last_ family. I must do whatever it takes. Even if my old bones don't work the way they used to."

Davos looks at the rest of the brothers. "I've been running from men like that all my life. In my learned opinion, we open that door and-"

"They're going to slaughter us all," a brother finishes, to which Davos nods.

"They want to come in, they're going to find a way in," another brother comments.

"Aye, but we're not going to make it easy for them," Davos states lightly.

One of the brother's sigh. "Edd is our only chance."

"It's a sad fucking statement if Dolorous Edd is our only chance," another brother remarks.

"Why are you all forgetting about Daenerys? Do you know what she is planning on getting?" Sam points out from where he sat near the table. "Guaranteed she's coming back with Drogon."

The other brother's tense up slightly at that, but Davos' brow furrows. "What…is Drogon?"

None of them speak, which annoys Davos to his very core. But Aemon instead takes a seat next to Davos, resting a hand on his shoulder now, reaching out blindly for a moment. "You will see soon."

With no answers and still just as confused as before, Davos shakes his head and takes a seat as well, looking over at Ghost. The direwolf lays his head against Jon's limp hand, hanging off the end of the table. He whimpers once more.

* * *

Hours seem to pass. Davos could almost feel himself falling asleep when there was a hard, forceful knock on the door. It instantly woke him up and he quickly stands, watching as the other brothers as well as Sam do the same thing. Sam draws a sword from the other side, looking nervous as all hell, but he does so anyway.

"It's time, Ser Davos," comes Thorne's voice. "Open the door and the men inside can rejoin their brothers in peace. We'll even set the wolf free north of the Wall where it belongs." Ghost growls in response to that. "Nobody needs to die tonight."

Davos lets out a soft sigh and then turns to the brothers. "I've never been much of a fighter." He grabs a sword that was in a closet nearby and picks it up, holding it tightly. "Apologies for what you are about to see." They all draw their swords at the same time as him aiming at the door.

He hears Thorne yell "Come on!" As soon as he says that, there was a large * _bang*_ on the door, and Davos realizes with a start that they were using a hammer to get in. Ghost begins to growl and bark as they try to burst their way through the door, and he as well as the brothers stand, ready. Aemon was sat in the corner, protected by some of the brothers, but looking nervous as well.

They swing again, and again, and again, each sound becoming louder than the last, until one of Thorne's men breakthrough, creating a hole. But before they could open the door, there was a loud * _thud_ * coming from outside. Davos stares in shock as they turned away, and then, within seconds, there was a loud * _craaack_ * and a shout, followed by a roar.

Davos quickly runs to the window and looks out, seeing _Edd_ coming in, followed by wildlings behind him, as well as a bloody giant, rushing into the courtyard. The men in the room take the distraction as their advantage, jumping out and aiming their swords at some of Thorne's men from behind. Davos runs out as well, trying to make a pathway for Sam to get Aemon somewhere safely for the time being.

"Attack!" he hears Thorne command, but many of them begin to back down. One of Thorne's men rush forward and try to attack the redheaded man, but he cuts him down in a single second, blood spurting out into the snow. Once his body was on the ground, the other brothers do not retaliate. "Fight, you cowards!"

Someone does attempt to shoot the giant – fucking _hell,_ that thing was huge – but the giant then turns and grabs the man by his legs, before _slamming_ him into the wall and tosses his body onto the ground. Davos hears many crunches. He could almost see Sam heave from the sound.

Before Thorne could command something else, there was a sudden * _screech*_ in the sky, and Davos looks up in shock to see…good fucking _gods._

It was Daenerys. On a fucking _dragon._

* * *

_Daenerys_

Finding Drogon had been difficult, but not impossible.

She had ridden as far as she could into the forest before her side had started to give out on her. Luckily, that hadn't been too far, as the moment she decided to dismount the horse Edd had given her, Drogon had appeared from beyond the trees.

It seems that he had recognized what happened as well, which was strange. He had his head down and didn't seem to be as energetic as he normally was. She had climbed onto him with ease, and when she told him to fly, he took off towards the sky, without a second thought. The moment she saw Castle Black, she descended down, right on top of the roof.

The moment she did that, everyone paused. The wildlings did as well, some staring up at the dragon in shock. Tormund seemed to be the one that was the most intrigued by it, but none say anything. Daenerys' eyes narrow as Drogon slowly and surely crept down onto the ground. His tail practically knocked out a whole entire gate behind him. He was growing quicker every day.

He lowers his side and she climbs down with ease – well, as much as she could with her side hurting the way it was – but doesn't let her pain show. The wildlings begin to ally behind her as she walks forward, drawing out her sword. Drogon lets out a roar and most of Thorne's men drop their swords. She could have sworn she saw one of them pissing himself.

Thorne glares at Edd. "You fucking traitor."

"The only traitors here are the ones who shoved their knives into their Lord Commander's heart!" he snaps.

" ** _Enough!_** "

Her voice was louder than she expected. It echoed off the walls. Everyone stilled. Drogon crawled around the men. She could see them shaking. Thorne did look wearily at the dragon but doesn't stray his eyes enough from her. She starts to walk around them, looking at each one in the way. She tries to see if Olly was in among them but it seemed he had stayed in the room - she didn't blame him. He was young. He would be killed instantly if the traitors got their hands on him.

"Here's what's going to happen," she states, her voice calm. "The men who _stood_ there and let your leaders stab the Lord Commander, I will let you live if you tell me – besides _Thorne_ – who planned this."

No one steps forward.

"No?" she asks. "Pity." Her eyes focus in on one of the brothers who had watched, and in a quick movement, she raises her sword and slices open his neck. The other brothers step back in shock, yelling as the man falls to the ground, blood spurting from his neck, dead. Before they could speak, however, Drogon lets out another screech, shutting them up. "The next person who denies my question will be _burned._ Any takers?"

"Marsh!" one of the men finally speak up and said Marsh glares at the brother in hatred. "Bowen Marsh planned it with them!"

"You piece of-"

"Seize him," were her quick words. Three wildlings came forward and grabbed the man, who struggled against their grip. Her eyes search for them. "There were two other men that stabbed him besides Thorne and Marsh. Who else?"

No speakers. Her brow raises.

"Let's show them what you can do, Drogon. _Dracarys._ "

Instantly, Drogon sets fire to the top of the castle, igniting the whole entire roof. The flames dance as the shadows move behind her, casting their terrified looks onto the ground. She steps forward again.

"I will ask _one more time_ before all of you become burnt pieces of meat for my dragon to eat. _Who. Else. Planned. It?"_

"Yarwick," someone finally speaks up. "Othell."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. He had been quiet since she had arrived. She had never known he would stab Jon. "Always the quiet ones," she muses, her eyes narrowing at the man before snapping her fingers. Two more wildlings step forward, along with a brother, grabbing the silent man who seemed to have shit himself at the mere sight of her dragon. The flames continue to grow.

"One last one," she states, pacing around them. "Is anyone going to come forward?"

There seemed to be silence. She was losing her patience. She opened her mouth to speak the word again, to set all of these brothers on fire, but finally, someone did speak up before it could escape her lips.

"Randall Merwick," was one other brother, and as she steps forward, she sees a path clear for the last stabber, who cursed the moment they said his name. "He planned as well."

Daenerys nods, looking to the wildlings once more. They take him, dragging him back into the castle. Then, she looks to Thorne, who looks at her, breathing heavily. "You're making a mistake, Daenerys."

"It is _your grace,_ to you," she hisses, before turning to the brothers. "Take him away. Throw him in the cells where he belongs."

Edd and the other brothers come up behind him, taking his arms and pushing his head away from her so all she saw was his ugly back. Many of the other men were taken away as well, pushed back inside by the wildlings while Drogon prowled. She swallows and feels her eyes close, before looking to the brothers that stood by her. She turns to them, seeing Davos appear from beyond. He had just emerged with Sam, who was keeping his eye on Aemon.

"Have you three been up here this whole time?" she asks.

"Watching you slit men's throats? Yeah," Sam croaks.

"I told you they would regret awakening the dragon. They're lucky she didn't burn them."

"Yet," she mutters, before looking back over at the wildlings. "Thank you for following Edd. Your distraction was much needed – as well as you, Wun-Wun." The giant lets out a roar at her and she feels herself smile slightly at that. Tormund approaches her, shaking his head.

"You're some kind of god, aren't you? Ridin' a dragon."

"Hardly," she chuckles a bit. "Just someone who wanted revenge. Still does." She swallows and turns to him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't hold it back. "It's good to see you, Tormund."

His face falls at her tears. "Oh, queenie." He pulls her in for a hug and honestly, it was what she needed. She wraps her arms around him tightly, letting her head rest on his shoulder. She feels him gesture to the other wildlings to grab the bodies and to get wood to burn them, before pulling back from her. "Crow and I may have had differences but 'e always looked out for us. And I have a feelin' he cared for ya more than any of us."

She lets out a ghost of a laugh before shaking her head. "No…he cared for you."

"If ya think he cared for us more than ya, you're as blind as your uncle up there – no offense!"

"None taken," she hears Aemon remark.

She wipes away her tears, sighing. "It doesn't matter now, does it?" She bites her lip and shakes her head. "It's just…another bump." The two of them start to walk up the stairs to where Davos was with Aemon and Sam. "I've faced so much tragedy in my life…I've lost people I care for, children, men that have supported me all because they believed in me…and now because he was going to leave with me…he was killed. Because he was trying to do the right thing."

They reach the top and she sighs, running her hands through her hair.

"I'm beginning to think I'm just bad luck."

"No, you aren't," Tormund insists. "The world is just shit. Without you, we'd all be dead."

"But now…he is." She looks back out at the broken gate, feeling her shoulders drop. Drogon had finally rested at the edge of it. Ghost, at that point, had run out once the commotion had calmed down, and she watched as the direwolf slowly approached the dragon. Drogon let out a growl when Ghost sniffed his scales, but within seconds, the direwolf sat down in front of the dragon, his head on the ground as well, both of them together. "Seems even the animals are depressed."

Daenerys sighs and shakes her head, before turning to Davos.

"Could you take him in to see Jon? I just need air."

Davos nods. "As you say." The two of them head towards the room, with Tormund giving her one last hug before exiting. She waits until they are gone before turning to Aemon and Sam.

"I'm sorry you had to witness this…this is all my fault." She looks over at Sam. "I took your best friend away. I'm so sorry."

Sam shakes his head. "Stop…no one could have predicted them doing this. This…this was horrible. We should have been there sooner."

"Gods, if I wasn't fucking _injured,_ " she snaps, shaking her head. "I could have done _something."_

Her head rests against her hands, trying not to cry. She didn't even think she had any more tears left to cry. She was physically and emotionally drained.

"We never even got to hear what you had to say," she whispers before turning to look at them. "It doesn't matter anymore…he's gone. Just say it."

She sees Sam look at Aemon before stepping away. "I'll go check on the others…I think it should be said between you and her." Sam steps away, heading towards the room. Once he was gone, and it was just the two of them, she sees Aemon sigh.

"I don't blame you for the way you handled it – killing that man, threatening them. If I was in your position, I would have done the same thing."

That made her feel better. "Really?"

"Yes. Because it's not just the Lord Commander they killed." Her brow furrows. He walks forward and rests a hand on her back gently. "Daenerys…how would you feel if you knew you weren't the last Targaryen in the world?"

"I'm…not. I have you."

"I mean…after me. I am not going to live forever, dear."

She pulls away slightly, staring at him in shock. "What are you talking about, uncle?"

He takes a deep breath before speaking. "Jon Snow has always been considered a bastard…but he is not. His father lied to protect him from Robert Baratheon. He would have killed him instantly if the former king knew. I always had an idea of who he was but I needed the confirmation, and they sent it to me – journals of Ned admitting it. The records of Rhaegar's annulment to Elia Martell and his union to Lyanna Stark – everything makes-"

" _Uncle._ What are you saying?"

"You…you have to see everything. I'll show it to you later. But Jon…he wasn't a bastard. He never was." He reaches out a bit, taking her hands in his as best he could with his blind eyes, but there was almost a sad smile on his lips. "Jon was the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark…his real name is _Jaehaerys Targaryen…_ he's your _nephew_."

She feels her whole entire body still. The world starts to grow dark. Her breathing feels short. "He…he was _what_?" she whispers, her voice thin. That…that couldn't be…that… _how_ _?_

Before she could even ask any more questions, there was a sudden gasp from the broken gate. She quickly turns her frazzled head to see a woman in all red on a horse, staring at the dragon that narrowed his eyes at her, before she turns her eyes to her. And once they connected, the woman stilled.

Daenerys couldn't even ask anything. Everything felt fuzzy. She could hear Aemon call out to her before she suddenly collapsed, unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll didn't think I'd bring him back THAT quickly, did ya? 
> 
> But now Dany knows and who the hell knows what's going to happen next lmfao next chapter though will cover a lot and you'll see all her reactions, as well as some other things ya'll are waiting for haha
> 
> Just to keep you all updated - I actually got a freelancing job so if I update a little slower than usual, don't worry. I'm not abandoning the story but actually working for once lol but I will still make sure I treat all of my fantastic readers amazingly and give ya'll as many chapters as I possibly can a week. I hope you understand! :)
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think as your comments always make me update super quick. Your amazing response from last chapter made me write this super quickly so please let me know what you think - you all inspire me so much and you are all so freaking amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join us on our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! :)
> 
> Next up: Daenerys grasps the new information she was just given about Jon followed by an introduction to the Red Woman and what might be possible.


	12. Fire and Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys learns more about Jon's heritage and is given a choice she didn't think she'd get - one that could change the fabric of history forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your response has been absolutely crazily amazing and I love every single one of you - thank you for being such amazing readers and commentators and you all have made my 2020, so I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations - don't expect something super crazy but next chapter will have plenty of explanations and revelations all around - super excited to see what you have to say about this one :)

_Daenerys_

Her eyes flutter open as slowly as possible. Her head felt like it was spinning. She could hear a couple of people attempting to speak to her or talking amongst themselves, but it still felt so fuzzy that she could hardly see. She leans up after a moment once her head does clear, and eyes all turn to her. Finally, she could see some of the people who were in there.

In one corner stood Tormund, who had his arms crossed. On a chair to her right was Sam, who had what seemed to be a warm cloth in his hands. To her left was Aemon, sitting calmly. Davos was standing in the other corner as well, debating Tormund on something, but as soon as he saw that her eyes were open his brow raises. "She's alive!"

"She's always been alive, she just fainted," Davos points out.

Her hand comes up to her pounding head before she looks over at Sam. "What the hell happened?" she mutters.

"Aemon told you the news and you fainted…hit your head. There's a bit of a scar there." His hand comes up and gently touches the side of her forehead and she winces slightly. "Gods, Ser Barristan is going to kill us when he sees you with these cuts."

Daenerys chuckles a bit, as much as her body could allow. "I won't let him do that, trust me." She bites her lip, remembering everything they had said before. About Jon. She bites her lip and looks back at Tormund, Davos, and Sam. "The three of you have been helpful, I'm sure."

"Well, I'm surprised the redhead hasn't woken you up yet with how loud he's been," Davos comments.

Tormund narrows his eyes at him. "I'm not loud, you just can't handle me."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "Even so, I thank you for staying by my bed. All of you…but now that I'm awake I wish to speak to my uncle alone. Is that alright?"

Davos's brow furrows before he nods. "Of course, your grace." He nudges Tormund's side and the wildling glares at him once more before raising a thumbs-up to Dany, nodding at her, happy to see her awake. The two of them head out of the door. Before Sam leaves, however, she reached out and takes his arm.

"If…if you don't mind me asking, how long did you know, Sam?"

He was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Some time…Aemon told me when you two left for Hardhome. Our plan was always to speak the truth when you returned but…things happened and you came back late and everything just kept being pushed off…it's an unfortunate series of events. We do wish we could have told you sooner…are you angry?"

Her brow furrows at him before she shakes her head 'no.' "Of course not. It's not like you did anything wrong…it was all on us." She sighs and lets go of his arm. "I'll speak to you later, Sam." The plump man nods before heading out of the door, closing it behind him. Once he was gone, she turns to Aemon. "How long have I been out?"

Aemon shrugs a bit. "Not too long. It's been about a couple of hours…we've had some events happen here, but nothing mad."

She raises an eyebrow. "Events?"

"Arrivals of people. Reveals. Things like that. Davos wasn't particularly happy about it either."

She nods, not even knowing where to begin. "I…I still can't believe what you said," she whispers, looking at him. "Where did you get all this information? About…Jon?"

"I've had people keep things in Oldtown for me for years, things they didn't think would have any meaning so they did it anyway…from the moment I _met_ Jon I knew there was something different about him. He didn't seem to have that honorable Ned Stark trait everyone always talked about with the Starks. I thought 'maybe he gets it from his mother,' but I didn't know a single woman who would ever do the things that he's done…did you know he once held Thorne close to over the Wall when he disobeyed an order? Nearly pushed him off. The only reason he didn't was that he knew the men who did support him would uprise."

"He really almost did that?" she asks in surprise.

Aemon nods. "That's when I _knew_ there was something afoot. That's when I reached out to Oldtown to have these sent to me…and have other items sent to me as well. Things of our family's descent. Because I needed to see if my theory was correct. And turns out, it was…Rhaegar, your brother, had come to visit me so often at the Wall, as much as he could. And each time, he would hardly ever talk of his wife – he was _always_ about Lyanna Stark. He loved her so much. Her personality, her fierceness, her smile…it was only a matter of time before they did something."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "So…so they were married in secret? And he was annulled to Elia? That's what happened?"

"Yes. And sooner or later, they had Jon. Or Jaehaerys…it was Ned's idea to call him Jon because he knew a name like Jaehaerys would give him away."

"Seven hells," she whispers. "That…that means the rebellion was-"

"Based on a lie, you are correct," Aemon responds to her gently. "Rhaegar never raped or hurt Lyanna. He loved her. They kept their union in secret. And because of that, rumors began to spread, and the country went to war. Robert was betrothed to her and he loved her too, but she could never have loved him. Because he thought Rhaegar had kidnapped her and due to your father executing both Rickard Stark and Brandon Stark, the war began. All because of lies."

Her hands rake through her hair, staring at the furs beneath her in shock. "I…I can't believe this." Her head almost felt like it was spinning again. "It was all based on a lie…all of it…" She looks back up at him, seeing the sullen expression on his face. "Our family fell because of a lie. Why wouldn't Rhaegar come out and say it?"

"Oh, that was a big no-no back then. Still is a bit now. When you were betrothed to someone, you stuck with that. If someone was to come out and say they were marrying for love, that was the most ridiculous thing in the world. Everything revolved around political alliances and if love grew from that, then it was great, but it was always politics _first._ I could understand their fear – having a marriage annulled was something that was quite scandalous at the time as well. It was a whole mess." He sighs and shakes his head. "Although I do sometimes hold some resentment for Rhaegar, I understood why. Your father, however…he did need to go. That I can agree with them killing. But Rhaegar would have been a great king. He was kind to his people. He went out and sang in the streets. But all because of love…the world fell apart."

Daenerys brought her legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly. "If Rhaegar had been king, that would have made Jon a prince…or Jaehaerys, I suppose. Gods, that feels weird to say."

Aemon chuckles a bit but nods. "He would have been. And when his father died, he would have been king." He looks over to her. "If we're being honest, you probably would have been betrothed to him."

Her brow raises lightly. "…really?"

"Oh, yes. While Targaryen's were…known to have some relations between themselves as brother and sister, most tended to stray a bit further away from that. You two are close in age and it would continue the legacy. You would have grown up together."

She glances back at the furs once more. "A different world…"

Aemon was quiet for a moment. "Do you care about that?"

She looks back up at him. "What do you mean?"

"That he was…your family?" At her silence, she sees him roll his blind eyes. "Daenerys, it doesn't take the smartest maester in the world to know you had feelings for Jon."

Her cheeks turn a light red before she glances away. "Honestly…no." She lets out a soft sigh and leans her head back against the wall. "Does it change things? Maybe if he was alive, it would…we'd have to talk about politics and everything else but…I still care for him. Who _he_ is. Not what his name is…I could only imagine what he would be thinking if he was alive." A lump forms in her throat but she swallows it quickly, closing her eyes. "Why is life so fucking unfair?"

Daenerys sniffles before turning to Aemon, who was silent.

"I have been given _nothing_ in my life. I was on the run for years. I was sold to a man who was brutal and angry and it took _ages_ to even somehow gain his trust where he didn't…hurt me…I lose my men, I've lost my kingdoms, ones I've worked so hard to get because _no one_ believed I could do it. A young girl who had a vision…and then I'm _finally_ gifted with someone who I feel I can trust, and the world takes it from me yet again."

Tears finally escape. She doesn't even bother to wipe them away.

"And what makes it twenty times worse is that he was my _family._ I came here because I thought you were my last chance…little did I know there was someone else right there." She bites her lip, shaking her head. "At a certain point, I didn't even care about the throne anymore. I want it, but it was nothing compared to having him by my side. I always said when I was younger I wanted to go home…and now I started to realize that home was wherever _he_ was. And now I just feel…empty. Like a shell. Everything I've done that's lead me here…it was for nothing. Because I still lost him. And there's _nothing_ I can do."

She had held back as much crying as possible but it was too overwhelming. She rests her hand on his shoulder and Aemon wraps an arm around her as tight as his old body could. It wasn't much, but she knew it was what she was craving right now. Even so, it wasn't like her uncle could give her what she needed.

All she could do was move on.

Daenerys takes a deep breath once she pulls back a moment later. "What will you do now?" Aemon asks her gently.

"I…I suppose wait for Barristan to come back. It should be soon." She takes a shaky breath and looks at the ground. "Burn Jon's body…and try and move on." She swallows once more. She had to be strong. _Needed_ to be strong. "Murder every single last one of those fucking traitors before I do, however."

Aemon was silent for a moment before he reaches out and takes her hand in his. "What…if I told you there was a _chance_ at bringing him back?"

Daenerys stares at him in surprise. "I'd say you're full of shit."

"I'm not."

She pulls her hand away. "Don't do that. Don't give me hope."

"I promise you, there's a way. At least a chance to try. Do you remember before you passed out, that woman that came in? Her name is Melisandre…she's a red priestess, someone who follows the Lord of Light religion. Have you ever heard of it?"

"It's quite popular in Essos," she mutters. "But I don't see what that has to do with Jon."

"Well, the religion has been known to…bring people back. I've heard there's someone who has died so often but had been brought back fourteen times. She's a part of that…she might be able to do something."

Daenerys instantly feels a shiver go up her spine. "No, I…I don't know how comfortable I'd be with that."

"You don't even want to try it?"

"The last time I trusted a witch to save someone I cared for, he ended up as a _shell_ and my son was _killed._ I don't want to put Jon through that, only for him to come back and suddenly be nothing. He can't speak or move. Just a damn vegetable. I would kill myself before I had him go through that."

Aemon sighs. "Melisandre has never been like that, at least from the stories I have heard. She has done some things…in fact, speak with Davos about it. He's seen it. He might be able to tell you. She served Stannis. For a long time."

Her body was hesitant, as was her mind. She didn't say anything for a moment. However, Aemon reaches out and takes her hand once more, which causes her to look up.

"Just speak to him, Dany. It's worth a shot."

She swallows slightly, her mind fighting with her heart. Would she love Jon to come back? _Of course._ But every single part of her was absolutely petrified for what might happen after. Or what might happen during. However, Aemon was correct. This was a chance. It was a different religion. A different woman.

And it wouldn't hurt to just _talk._

So, she swallows for the umpteenth time that hour, and then slowly nods. "Alright then."

* * *

When she left the room, she was shaky but determined.

She didn't know how hard she had hit her head when she fell, but she knew it was hard enough where it definitely wasn't a cakewalk to make it from one end of the castle to the other without taking a break for a few seconds. But by the time she did make it to the room, she felt at least _a little_ bit of energy.

And the need to ask Davos the questions that might save her world.

She emerges into where Jon's body still lay. She found it hard to not focus her gaze on it, but as she walked over, she grabbed his limp hand, biting her lip. ' _Blood of my blood,_ ' she whispers internally. There was no way she could tell anyone about this yet. It had to remain her, Aemon's and Sam's secret for the time being, until they could see if this _might_ work. If not…she supposed she could speak it, even if it wouldn't mean anything. It was better for the world to find out about Jon being who he was instead of not. But until she knew for sure if he would stay dead or not, it would stay shut in her mouth.

She lets go of his hand and walks over to another entrance to the room, spotting Davos standing outside, looking over a map. She raises her brow at him. "Planning your escape so soon?" she muses.

He looks up at her and chuckles a bit. "Not likely. It's far too cold right now for me to travel on my own. Think I'll stay here for a bit…with Stannis dead and…and Shireen gone, I don't think I have anything to go back to." At her furrowed brow, he continues. "Shireen was Stannis' daughter."

"Oh. I didn't even know he had one."

"Barely anyone did. She had Greyscale at a certain point but suddenly, it stopped. Even so, it stayed on her face, and made her deformed in his eyes…she was a sweet girl. And it seemed he was _starting_ to let her back into his life again but now it…it doesn't matter." He sighs and glances at the ground. "Stannis did so many horrible things but I stood by him because he was the man who gave me everything I could 'ave now. He's the one who knighted me." He glances back up and sighs. "He probably would have admired you for your ferocity and hated you for it too."

"…he sounds like a complicated man."

Davos sighs once more. "He was, indeed." He turns back to her. "Enough about me. I see the dragon queen is up and walkin'?"

Daenerys smiles slightly before shrugging. "As best as I can be…head still hurts but…what I need is something important." She looks back at him. "The red woman that came in here…Melisandre, Aemon said her name was. You…know her well?"

She sees a shift in his eyes. Davos gently closes the map he was looking at before turning fully to face her, leaning against the wall. The torches seemed to light up his face as he spoke, and she could see every crease in his face when he looked at her, with slight concern. "I do…what do you wish to know?"

Daenerys was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Aemon said that there was a…chance she could help bring…Jon back. Do you think this is true?"

Davos took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Alright…I'm going to be honest with you because I respect you – mainly because seeing you on the bloody dragon was absolutely _terrifying._ " She felt herself chuckle a bit. "Even so…I've known Melisandre for some time now. We've never been on quite the right page. Ever, really…but I've seen her do some things that…I don't even know how to explain. I've seen her drink poison that should have killed her long ago. I…at least from what I recall, I saw her give birth to a _demon_ made of shadows."

"Seven hells," Daenerys mutters.

"Even so," Davos continues. "She's…something. I don't know what it is, but she's something. If someone in that religion of hers was able to bring someone back from the dead, I wouldn't be surprised. But you _must_ be careful around her. She uses blood magic – I've _seen_ her use blood magic to put it into the flames and witness her Lord of Light, or whatever it is she calls it. I stopped her from killing a boy with 'king's blood,' as she said it, for sacrificing and instead just took some of it – she's done some truly wicked things. But she's powerful. And right now, she's lost. She was a servant of Stannis for years, proclaiming him to be some…'prince who was promised' horse shit, but now he's dead. His men are dead. And she is alone. This honestly might be the perfect time for you to speak with her."

Daenerys bites her lip quietly, before nodding at his answer. "Thank you…I needed to hear all that."

Davos's brow raises at her. "So…you're really thinking of bringing Jon back? I know there are other feelings there but…may I just ask why?"

Daenerys looks over at him. "I want him alive…I miss him. Already. And if there's a chance…why not take it? She's my only chance." She glances back at the ground. "He's…also someone you don't think he is."

"What do you mean?"

Daenerys sighs. Davos had helped her. He had tried to defend Jon's body against the traitors. Had gone out of his way to make sure Sam and Aemon were okay. Maybe she could tell him. And looking at his eyes, full of confusion, she had a feeling he'd be one of the few to be able to keep his mouth shut. "Jon isn't Jon Snow. His real name is Jaehaerys Targaryen. He's the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark."

His eyes widen in shock before he clears his throat a second later. "I…now that's a fuckin' piece of news."

"Don't tell anyone," she says to him quietly. "I'm still trying to deal with it myself but…I _have_ to see if I can bring him back. I can't keep losing my family…and especially not him. I know you don't like her but…she might be my last chance."

Davos nods quietly after a moment, seemingly stunned silent. After a few seconds, he opens his mouth. "Do you want me to come with you to Melisandre?"

Daenerys shakes her head a second later. "No. I…I can do it myself. If we do plan on it, I'll let you know as well as Sam and Aemon. Tormund too, if he isn't busy eating all the mutton downstairs." She sees him roll his eyes at the mention of Tormund. She chuckles. "He's a nice man."

"If he's not driving you mad."

Daenerys smiles a bit as the two of them head off. "Do you know where Olly is?"

"I think he went back to his chambers after we brought the traitors in…the kid feels really bad about what happened."

Daenerys sighs. "I know…hopefully after this, he won't have to for long." She bites her lip and nods to him. "I'll let you know soon…thank you for speaking to me."

"As you wish, your grace," he responds before heading off, leaving her behind. Daenerys takes a deep breath and swallows, before walking in the direction of the spare chambers. Where, no doubt, the red woman would be saying.

* * *

Her fist seemed to hang in the air forever, but when she did knock, it was the loudest sound she had ever heard. Followed by a mumbled, "Come in."

Daenerys slowly opens the door, spotting the redhead over near the fire, looking into the flames. She was sitting calmly, with a blanket over her legs. And when she looked up at Daenerys, she could see that she was quite young – or at least seemed that way. "I'm sorry if I've interrupted something," she states quietly.

Melisandre shakes her head. "You interrupted nothing. It's a pleasure to finally meet the dragon queen that everyone's talked about."

Daenerys hmms, walking over to where she stood. "I've heard that Stannis talked about me."

"He did…but Stannis talked about everyone that was of threat to his power. You were the biggest one after he killed his brother." Daenerys raises an eyebrow at her easy admittance. Melisandre shrugs. "Stannis is dead now. I have no need to hide what I've done."

"Why did you come back here?"

"I don't know…there was a calling that I felt. And since I've lost everything else, I thought I might as well return."

Daenerys nods slightly before looking at her head-on. "I assume that you know what I'm here?"

"I will once you tell me," was the woman's response.

She fights the urge to roll her eyes. "It's about Jon. The Lord Commander."

"The _former_ Lord Commander," she remarks.

Daenerys exhales, trying to keep her cool ahead of her. "I don't think he has to be the former." Melisandre turns to look at her with a raised brow.

"What are you asking of me?"

She bites her lip. "Do you know of any…sorcery or anything that might be able to help him? Bring him back to us?"

Melisandre shakes her head. "If you want to help him, you should leave him be."

"That isn't an option. Not until I try everything I can." She urges the woman to stand, pulling at her hand, which she does at her request. "Please…there has to be some way. Can it be done?"

Melisandre looks at her, almost analyzing her movements and emotions as she asked, but all Daenerys showed was desperateness. More than before. "There are…some with his power."

"How?"

Melisandre sighs. "I don't know."

"Have you ever seen it done?"

"I've met a man that came back from the dead but the priest who did it – it shouldn't have been possible."

"But it _was,_ " she insists. "And it could be _now._ "

"Not for me."

Daenerys could feel her impatience building as her eyes narrowed at the woman. She walks back over to the fire, kneeling towards it. She instantly walks to her. "Not for you? Davos has told me what you've done. What makes you think that for some reason you can't bring him back now?"

"Everything I thought would happen I was wrong about. I saw great victories in the flames, and everything I believed…it was all a lie." She looks back to the fire, shaking her head. "The Lord never spoke to me. I feel like a fraud."

Daenerys' hands turn to fists before she urges the woman to stand, pulling her up. "The world is _full of lies!"_ she hisses. "I grew up thinking that I was the only Targaryen left in the world, but turns out, I'm not. I'm sure you might have seen that in the flames – the whole entire rebellion here was _built_ on a lie! But you know what we can do with those? We move on and grow from those lies. Fuck any god out there. I've never been a woman of religion. It all feels the same to me sometimes. But I'm not asking whatever Lord you follow for help. I'm asking for the one woman I have heard might have a chance at bringing the man I adore _back._ "

Melisandre stares her down, almost a cross between intrigue and confusion on her face. "You've had experience with this before…blood sorcery."

Daenerys swallows but nods. "I have. But I have faith that this time…it won't be the same. The woman said that death pays for life…so many have already died. So many have given their lives. Jon has as well…this should feel a least a little easier."

"I've never had this gift, Daenerys."

"Have you ever tried?" she asks her honestly. "And…and if you don't think you have that _exact_ gift, why not try a different way of doing it?" At Melisandre's raised brow, she elaborates. "When I burned my husband's corpse years ago, I stepped into the fire and emerged, unburnt with three dragons…Jon and I _found_ dragon eggs not too long ago and…and with what he is, I have a feeling that if we're doing this that way, there's…there's a chance. Please. We can put the dragon eggs in the flames and ma…maybe it will bring him back. I don't know. But please…please try. For me. _Please._ "

Melisandre was quiet for a moment, looking over at the flames. "I have seen his face before…he was meant for more." She was silent once more, before finally moving her gaze back to her. "I will try through your idea…I believe fire must have fire. Blood must have blood…your way is ancient and dangerous…but if it could work on anyone, I believe it could work on him."

And another tear escapes her eyes, a smile coming over her lips. "Thank you, Melisandre."

* * *

An hour seems to pass before she decides to tell everyone.

Aemon isn't surprised. He had expected it. He said he would wait at the castle due to the cold and how he could see, waiting to see what would happen. She didn't blame him. Sam had been a bit shocked to hear what she was trying but he supported it, saying that if there was any shot of him coming back, it would be through her. Davos had been apprehensive – understandably. Daenerys was as well, but both of them knew this was their last chance.

She had told Edd and Tormund next, the one brother and wildling that had helped her the most. Edd had been startled but had supported it. Tormund had said he wanted to see it, but she said that this 'type' of sorcery took hours, so she agreed to tell him what the outcome was. And although he was adamant on trying to be there for her, she had persisted with a hug to him.

She had gone to tell Olly but found the boy had passed out from the madness of the day. She didn't blame him. So she had let him sleep, deciding it would be better to speak to him tomorrow.

Daenerys had watched the woman did first, analyzing her movements. As she did, Ghost nudged at her hand and she scratched him behind his ears. "We're going to get him back," she whispers to the pup. "I can feel it. I know it. I _know it._ " The direwolf whimpers to her as she kneels down and settles his head in her lap, and she feels herself smile. "Well…at least I'll have you if he doesn't."

When she had stood up again, the direwolf had gone back over to Jon's bed, settling on it easily. Daenerys had turned her eyes back to the table, watching as Melisandre cut off pieces of Jon's hair from the back, before throwing it into the fire, muttering an incantation under her breath. She nods to her and urges Daenerys to come forward.

"Come. Help me clean his wounds."

Daenerys nods quietly, taking the wet cloth from her. Melisandre does the marks that were lower, while she focused on the ones above. Her eyes instantly went to the one that was right above his heart, the one that had settled his life for him. She swallows as her hand cleans out the wound the best she could, and once she was done, she leans down and presses a gentle kiss right above it, her hands shaky.

When she pulls away, she nods to Melisandre. The red priestess opens the door, and both Sam and Davos came in. They had built a pyre out in the woods, not too far from the wall. Daenerys watched silently as they wrapped his body so it wouldn't be too exposed to the cold, before carrying it out of the room. Melisandre rests a hand on her shoulder.

"Grab the eggs. Follow us."

Daenerys nods, watching as the red woman left first before she walked towards her room as quickly as she could. She walks in, glancing at the wine that had been untouched the last time Jon was in here but pushes the feelings of remorse that were climbing up her throat. Her eyes quickly snap over to the eggs in the corner, moving each one of them to the bag, before taking a deep breath and following in the footsteps of her travel companions.

They walk for a little bit of time until the trees begin to cover them, and she finds herself enraptured by the noises of the forest. However, it didn't scare her. Her eyes were solely focused on the body that was sliding on a sled in front of them. Her hands clenched the bag with the dragon eggs tightly.

She watched as they unwrapped his body once they reached the pyre, before settling it right on top. In her bag, she had placed a wrap, just in case, as well as shoes. She had hope, a little bit. But she knew it was better to have hope than to have nothing.

Davos and Sam stood by her side as Melisandre lit up a torch they had brought, whispering something under her breath. She sets it in the snow, before turning to Daenerys. "Place the eggs."

She nods and comes forward, removing each of them and placing one by one near the edge of the pyre, right along his body. The silver one sits easily. The dark one falls over. The golden one shines against the firelight. Her eyes cast over Jon one more time, and for the first time in a while, she prays. Prays to every god everyone believed in that this would work. Somehow. Someway. There _had_ to be a solution.

She…she couldn't live without him…

Daenerys quickly turns, fighting the tears that threatened to come down once more. She takes her spot next to Davos and Sam, crossing her arms against her chest, watching as Melisandre took the torch into her hands. She could hear her beginning to chant something, but the Valyrian felt so muffled that even Daenerys couldn't translate it. Her hand rested against Jon's chest, her head bowed before she turns to the pyre.

Within seconds, it begins to light up in flames, sending sparks across the snow, the heat almost mesmerizing against her skin. She watched as the fire engulfed the eggs first, and then his body. Usually, she would have felt fear of this happening. But for once, she didn't. She felt…indifferent. Almost….in a trance, if she could explain it currently.

"Blood must have blood," she hears Melisandre say to her once more. "Daenerys." She snaps her head up as the woman walks over to her with a dagger. "Cut your hand. Throw your blood into the fire." She hesitates but does as she's asked. Gods, did she maybe feel like a fool? Possibly. But Jon was already dead. If this didn't work, at least his body would be gone the Targaryen way and she'd only have one of the many new scars on her body.

She sees Sam flinch when she slits across her palm like it was butter, watching as the dark liquid oozed out. Melisandre steps to the side as Daenerys steps forward, right through the flames, before squeezing her hand and dropping the blood into it. It dissolves in seconds, causing the flames to erupt.

"Is-is she okay?!" Davos yells, but she simply turns and walks back out. Her furs were slightly on fire, but with a few kicks of the snow, they were good. Davos stares at her in shock. "You…it's… _what?_ "

Daenerys feels herself smile a bit. "It's a long story, Ser Davos."

"I'll fuckin' say."

Melisandre turns to the three of them. "This is the most I can do. We will see what happens in the morning. We must wait for the fire to disappear and that could take hours. We can return once the sun rises."

"No."

The three faces turn to her, in surprise. "Your grace, you'll freeze out here," Davos comments, his voice laced with concern.

"No, I won't," she insists. "I…I really think I'm meant to be here." She looks back at them. "The three of you go back. I'm staying for as long as I can…I have to. I feel…something. I can't describe it."

Davos looks like he wanted to protest but Sam spoke up first. "We saw her riding in on a dragon. I'm pretty sure he is able of handling this herself." Daenerys smiles lightly at him, glad to hear him defend her so easily. "If something happens, she'll come back, right Daenerys?"

"Of course."

Davos still didn't look convinced but he dropped his arms in submission. "You're a grown woman. I can't stop you. We'll go back then…stay safe out here." She nods, hugging both of the men before they head off. Davos was still talking low to Sam, and she could swear she heard him say, "This woman is bloody mad – but I like 'er style."

She turns to Melisandre, who was the last to leave. She was staring at the flames. Daenerys presses a hand against her shoulder, the one that was uncut. "If this doesn't work, don't blame yourself…it was worth it for the chance."

Melisandre nods at her words. "You are something else, dragon queen." She steps away and bows her head. "May the flames guide thee."

Daenerys watches the woman leave through the trees until the cloak of the night covered her and she could no longer see anyone. She turns her body back to the flames, some rising high above her. While a part of her almost wanted to walk in, she pushes that feeling out and then settles herself on the ground, crossing her legs, watching the flames intently. They almost seemed golden, like the most beautiful color in the world. It was alluring.

It grounded her, kept her staring at the blinding fire for what seemed like hours, his body completely consumed now. At one point, however, she felt a nudge at her arm. Fear does not invade her. She glances to her side and sees that Ghost had somehow made his way out here, and was settling at her side. She raises her brow. "How in the world did you…you know what, I don't mind. Good to have company."

She watches as the direwolf lays his head on the ground, his eyes almost looking at the flames as well. She was happy she wasn't the only one who was completely entranced with it.

But, sooner or later, exhaustion set in. And before she knew it, her eyes had betrayed her, and she had fallen asleep in the snow, the warmth of the fire keeping her sated.

* * *

The morning came quickly. The smoke filled her senses. And her eyes snapped open when she heard a gasp of air followed by a thud, and familiar screeches.

She looks around and instantly feels her brow furrow. Ghost was gone. Had…had that all been in her head? Where had he run off to?

"Ghost?" she yells out but hears nothing in response.

Her eyes then move to the pyre. The fire was gone. Only smoke and ash covered it. But however, something that did get her tired and frozen feet moving was the fact that _Jon's body was **gone.**_

She instantly scurries up as quick as her body would allow – which honestly wasn't that much considering her side still hurt more than probably _anything_ else in this world. She runs towards the pyre and feels her heart stop.

The eggs were hatched. There was _nothing_ inside.

"What the…" Her voice trails off as she quickly looks around, trying to see if she could find _anything_ before the smoke finally clears from around the pyre. She steps to the other side and almost falls to her knees once she hears the age-old sounds that had haunted her mind for so long. And a smile so large came to her lips, tears falling instantly from her eyes.

There, sitting on the ground in complete shock, was Jon, covered in soot but _breathing._ And around him, were three little dragons. One was on his shoulder, the other two near his legs. And he was staring at them as if he had no fucking idea what happened.

"J…Jon?" she asks, her voice shaking. His head turns at her voice, the silver dragon letting out a screech once it sees her.

"…Dany?" he croaks out. And she weeps with joy.

She instantly runs to the bag and grabs the cloak she had gotten from the castle, before falling to her knees, wrapping it around him. "Gods, _it worked!"_ she said, her eyes shone with tears, trying to keep his naked body warm. The little dragon's screech from around her. One begins to climb onto her leg. The smoke still smelt in the air. "You're here…" Her hands come to his cheeks. He was still in shock.

"…h…how?" he whispers, looking at the dragons and then at the pyre. "…how?" he repeats again.

She knew it would be like this if he woke up. All she could do was help him stand. And even doing that was a task. He was weak, practically leaning all his weight on her. "It's alright," she whispers to him tenderly. "How about we go back to Castle Black?"

He was silent, before slowly nodding his head. She wraps her arms tightly around him as she looks to the dragons. The one that sat on his shoulder doesn't move. The other two climb onto her. She chuckles lightly at them, smiling.

"They…scared me," he mutters, almost dumbly in response. And that makes her laugh. Truly, for the first time.

"Ah. So that's what that thud was." She brings a hand up to stroke his cheek, looking at him with the most love she thought she could ever give someone. "Well, you're here now…and that's what matters. You're with me again."

At that moment, she sees a small smile come onto Jon's lips at her touching him, but instantly when he starts to get comfortable, he nearly collapses again. She holds him tightly, keeping him up as he clutches his chest, grunting.

"It's okay," she whispers to him softly, seeing his look of anger come over him at his misstep. The dragons cling onto them tightly. "Don't push it. Let's get back to the castle…there's much you need to know." He lets out a soft grunt while she helps him walk, the dragons letting out little squeaks and screeches as they did. But all she could think was one thing, and her smile didn't waver from her lips once. 

' _Jon is alive.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And he rises. With dragons. 
> 
> A lot of you had already assumed it was going to be much different from the show and you were right - I hope that it lived up to your expectations! I'm super new at this sort of retelling stuff and I think I did a good job but if I didn't please let me know lol I'm so nervous haha 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments have been inspiring me like crazy lately and I've loved every single one of your responses and reactions, which is why I've been able to push out these chapters for you all, so thank you all - you've all been so freaking amazing! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to join our little story and I'll see all of you amazing people in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: Jon is reunited with the brothers, has a moment with Daenerys, and is told some new information that stuns him.


	13. A Dragon Reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon adjusts to his new normal, but a surprising revelation sends him spiraling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooooly shit we reached 1000 comments on this good god ya'll are absolutely amazing - thank you so much for the absolutely amazing response and I love every singe one of you. You are what is making me turn out these chapters so quickly, so thank you so much for your astonishing and fantastic comments. I love all of you so much. This chapter is probably one of the ones you all have been waiting for, so I hope you enjoy! :)

_Jon_

Death was…strange.

At first, there had been nothing. He had been surrounded by utter darkness. It almost felt like there was some form of it hugging him, and it wasn't cold, but warm. But then, there was a pull, and suddenly, he could see everything that had happened while his body was dead. But his mind had been somewhere else.

When he was walking back to Castle Black, holding onto Daenerys for dear life because even his fucking _legs_ felt like jelly, he didn't realize what it was. When he was looking at her, trying to see if she had any idea, he didn't know what it was. But it wasn't until he saw Ghost, who had been resting at the front gate, did he know.

It was as if for a time, he had seen the world through Ghost's eyes.

He had seen his own dead body. He had seen how the brothers who were loyal to him defended him. He had seen how Daenerys had screamed and cried…had protected Olly…had gone off and gotten her dragon to burn down a part of the roof to scare the brothers – which, now that he looked at it, was still smoking.

How she had tried to stay by his side no matter what. How she had begged the…the red woman to bring him back.

Jon didn't think he'd get to experience something like that, but he did. And now…now he was back. With…dragons?

He still didn't entirely understand what happened. One moment, he had followed her out into the woods, sat by her side while she stared at a pyre, one that had his body, surrounded by the dragon eggs. He – at the time – most likely didn't even think he'd come back. He just thought that was that. The next moment, his eyes had snapped open on the burnt pyre, and there was a tiny silver dragon head staring right at him.

It had scared the living shit out of him, so much so that he fell off, right into the snow. The cold hadn't even bothered his body one bit. He hadn't even seen Daenerys there until she spoke his name. And that's what lead them to where they were now.

She had walked him back as quickly as she could, all while speaking about what had happened as if he didn't already know – well, it wasn't her fault. She had no idea. Even as she spoke, everything still felt hazy. The dragons that clang onto _him_ and _her_ felt strange. He didn't think that he was…anything related to that. But here he was. With fucking dragons.

… _what?_

"Here, through here," she whispers as they passed the gate, and that was when he had seen Ghost, running up to him like a normal direwolf. Her brow furrows. "How strange. He was with me last night and then ran off. I didn't think he came back here."

Jon knew why. But that was for another time.

Ghost climbs up the stairs quickly, heading into his chambers. There was no one outside, most likely because most of them were expecting to go back to the pyre to see if his body had burned. She guides him as slowly and gently as possible, before opening the door for him.

Instantly, he sees _multiple_ familiar faces. There were some brothers who had come with him and Dany to Hardhome, including Edd. Tormund stood in the corner with Davos, who had apparently arrived back during his death. He'd have to thank him later for aiding Dany even though at the time, she was the enemy of his own leader.

In another corner stood the red woman, who had been looking into the flames. And when the door opened, all of their head turned directly towards him.

There was a mix of reactions. The red woman seemed to stare in shock, unable to speak. Tormund was the first, a smile spreading so wide across his lips before he runs over to him, embracing him tightly. Jon could barely breathe, but within seconds, Tormund drops him, laughing.

"It fuckin' worked!" he exclaims. "Little dragon queen was right! Both of ya are some kind of gods, I swear!"

Jon manages an almost pained smile. "Don't know but…sounds like that, honestly." He looks over at Edd, who comes to embrace him. Not the bear hug that Tormund had given, but one that sent volumes none-the-less. The other brothers who were there do so as well. Jon starts to realize just how naked he was doing this and pulls the cloak very tightly around him.

"It's good to see you again…we didn't know if this would work."

"Probably none of you thought it would…but here we are," Jon comments a bit, looking over where Dany now stood. She seemed to be glancing at a map that was in the corner. "I heard you stood by me and Daenerys. All of you. Thank you, for doing so…that means a lot."

Edd nods. "Of course. You're our friend and the commander we chose. Fuck anyone else who thinks differently."

Jon smiles a bit at him before looking to Davos, who still seemed to be staring at him in complete shock. "Keep your mouth open wide enough you'll catch flies," Jon comments.

That causes the old man to shut it quite quickly before he comes over to him. "You were dead, and now you're not. That's fucking mad…it's good to see you, Lord Commander."

Jon instantly feels himself internally wince at that name. It didn't quite sit the same.

"Thank you for staying with Daenerys and the rest of them. I know it must have been hard considering your allegiance."

Davos waves his hand almost dismissively. "That doesn't matter anymore…what matters is that what they did wasn't right by any means. I don't know what Thorne's plan was but it clearly didn't work."

Hearing the man's name started to light up something within Jon, but he pushes that away. At that moment, the red woman finally comes over, her brow furrowed. "Did you see anything?" she asks him. "Anything at all while you were…gone?"

Jon slowly shakes his head. "No…it was just empty." Well of course he couldn't tell the complete truth yet. That he would reserve for someone special.

His answer seemed to disappoint her, as she glances away before nodding. "I'm glad the ritual worked…and that you're here. Daenerys was quite persistent."

At that moment, Jon is reminded of what is underneath his cloak and feels himself bite his lip when one of the little dragons nibble at his skin. They were getting agitated. "Thank you for doing it…didn't think I'd get the second chance. But if you all don't mind, I'd really like to rest now. Need to get back my energy."

They all seemed to share a look of surprise at his quick dismissal but nod. They each give him an embrace before leaving, and the red woman turns to him once again, nodding as well, and heads out the door behind them. Daenerys moves to leave but he grabs her arm and pulls her in gently, closing the door.

"I didn't mean _you_ had to leave," he murmurs.

She smiles a bit at his words before nodding to his cloak. "Let them out. I'll grab you some clothing."

Once she turns, Jon removes the cloak and watches as each of the dragons jump onto his bed. Some climb onto the head post, the others rest at the end. Ghost lets out a soft growl when he sees them but at a screech from one of the dragons, he backs off and lays down, his eyes not straying. Jon chuckles a bit, before scratching the direwolf behind his ear.

"I don't get it either, boy…but we're here."

He glances back over as he sees Daenerys appear again. For a moment, he sees her eyes stray along his naked backside but as soon as she sees she was caught, she instantly turns her eyes away. Her cheeks turn rosy red. "Here, uh…this should do."

He takes it lightly, smirking a bit at her reaction before pulling the trousers over his legs. He gets a glance at himself in the mirror and feels himself still lightly. His hand ghosts over the wounds that laid upon his chest. When his movements had stilled, Daenerys looks back up at him and spots him looking.

It starts to sink in. More and more.

"I can't believe they did this," he mutters, his hands ghosting over the scar right above his heart. "They…they fucking killed me for doing what was right." Anger starts to take over him as he lets his hand drop. "I'm going to murder _every_ single last one of them."

He feels a hand rest on his back, and he turns his head slightly to see Daenerys standing there. "I know you're probably feeling a million emotions right now – I want to kill them too," she whispers to him. "But right now, that's not what you need to do. You need to rest…if not for just a little bit. You just came back."

"But-"

"Please?" she asks him, her voice soft. "For me?"

He sees the pleading in her eyes, the want, the need, and the anger that he did have melts away slightly. How could he say no to the woman who stayed up near a goddamn pyre just to see what would happen? In the freezing cold?

So, he slowly nods. "Alright…I can do that."

She takes his hand and guides him back to the bed, handing him the tunic to put on. He moves it over his body with ease, sitting at the edge of the bed. The dragons at this point had settled near the end. He clears his throat once he found himself relaxed for a moment. "I, uh…I'm still so confused, Dany." She looks over at him as she brings furs to his side. "The dragons and the fire and…what happened? How is this…possible?"

Daenerys doesn't say anything for a moment, letting the furs rest against his body. "It's…not really my place to tell." Once the furs were down, she looked at him. "I did it because of something I found out about you…and something you need to know as well. But Aemon wanted to speak to you."

"You can't tell me it?"

"It's…complicated." She glances back at the ground. "You can speak with him later but for now, please, just sleep…just so we can have a couple of minutes of normalcy. Before all hell breaks loose."

He could see the conflict in her eyes and gods he wanted to know what the hell was going on, but he had a feeling that no matter what, she was going to keep her mouth shut until Aemon got to him. And even so, he knew there was no way she was letting him leave this room yet. So, he exhales gently before leaning back in his bed. "Fine then…I'll rest." Daenerys offers almost a tired smile to him but a grateful one all the same. When she goes to leave, however, he reaches out and takes her arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

The young woman raises her brow at him. "To…let you sleep?"

"If you think I'm letting you run off that easily, you've lost your mind. Get in my bed, now."

She stares at him in surprise for a moment before moving onto the other side of his bed. "I thought you'd want to-"

"Well, it's not," he interrupts, wrapping his arms around her once she settles next to him. "What I want is for you to stay here, by my side. Because after everything that's happened, I don't want to let you go." He swallows as she settles her head against his chest. "I still hear it, you know…the screaming. When you were…" His words trail off. He feels his throat close.

She reaches over and grabs his hand. "Let's not think about that right now…let's just rest, okay?"

He doesn't fight that. He feels her relax against him, snuggled into his side. For the first time since he had awoken, he felt happy. Truly happy. And he didn't know how long that would last, but he would cherish it for as long as he could.

He glances over at where the dragons were resting now, their heads altogether.

"Dany?" She hmms in response. "…what exactly do dragons eat?"

And then she laughs, taking his hand in hers. "Whatever they want. Preferably meat."

* * *

When he awakens again, she was gone.

He panicked for a quick moment when he spots that his _dragons_ were gone as well, but then he saw a note with her familiar handwriting next to his bed. His brow furrows as he goes to pick it up, scanning the words quickly.

' _Jon,_

_I'm sorry I didn't wake you up to tell you this. You finally fell asleep and you looked so peaceful I couldn't bring it upon myself to wake you. Your dragons were getting pretty antsy so I actually took them out to get something to eat._

_I wasn't joking when I said they eat whatever they want – they **really** do. You'll learn that over time._

_I should be back in a little bit. Take some time to talk to some people. Aemon wants to speak with you…it's probably best you do it before I get back. Just trust me on this._

_Rest well._

_-Dany.'_

Jon feels himself smile slightly at the letter. Gods…he still couldn't believe that she was…here.

When he had awoken, he truly felt _nothing._ As fucked up as it sounded, he didn't feel joyful when he saw his friends again. He didn't laugh or smirk at Tormund's comment – only barely responded out of exhaustion. He didn't even wonder how the hell the red woman had really shown up. Everything had felt so…minuscule.

But holding Dany…even just reading her handwriting, he felt warmness spread through him. And it was only her that could make him feel so…he didn't even know.

There was a sudden knock on the door and Jon turns his head towards it. "Come in."

The door swings open a second later, and Jon sees a familiar face walk in, staring at him in complete shock. A young boy who was frozen solid. _Olly._

It was amazing how much a day could do to someone. Jon could remember the last time he had spoken to Olly – maybe right before they had left for Hardhome. Daenerys had said that Olly was the one who tried to warn her of the mutiny but they didn't make it in time. He had known about it.

But, considering the look on his face, Jon couldn't feel angry at him. The boy seemed close to tears.

"Y…you're really alive?" he whispers.

Jon feels a tired smile come on his lips. "Somehow."

He stands up from his bed, walking over to where the boy still stood, not daring to move. Without raising another question, he embraces the smaller boy as tightly as he could, trying to get out the words he slightly couldn't. And, within a few seconds, Olly wraps his own arms around him. He could feel the boy silently shaking. The wall had broken down.

"I'm sorry," Olly finally speaks after a few moments, his voice trembling against his better judgment. "I'm so sorry I…I didn't tell her sooner…I wanted to but I…I…"

"Olly." Jon pulls away from the boy, seeing the tears that had streamed down his face, drying against his cheeks. "I don't blame you for what happened."

"But…but I-"

"Yes, you knew about what they were planning, but you were confused. Rightfully so. You've lost _everything_ in the past due to choices made by other people. And when someone, whom you thought you could trust, makes the choice you didn't agree with, it can lead to conflicting thoughts. You _needed_ that time to think. It's _alright._ At the end of the day, _you_ weren't the one who pushed a knife into my chest. Those were all the other men. You're _okay._ "

Olly sniffles when he says that but only nods in response, a sad smile on his lips as Jon clasps the boy's shoulders. "I…I suppose you're going to be leaving soon with Daenerys then?"

Jon exhales slowly before nodding. "I am. And probably for good." Olly stares at him in surprise. "I'm absolved of my oath. I died for the Watch. I'm back now. And I have _nothing_ stopping me. And there's no bloody way I am going to be sticking around and leading some of the men who agreed with those traitors."

Olly glances away but nods, swallowing. "I…I knew you would. Leave for good, I mean. Even before then." He looks back at him. "I know you care for the queen."

"It's not just that, Olly. I don't get the respect that I deserve here. In the past, I've let so many of these brothers roll over me. You've seen it. I've seen it. I _died_ because of it. I'm not letting something like that happen again." He stands and walks to the side, glancing down at the map Dany had been looking at earlier. One of Essos. "Even so, it'll be better there. I have a feeling." He turns to Olly again and then sighs. "I'll make sure you're taken care of. Don't worry. I won't abandon you."

He reaches out and grasps Olly's shoulders again, seeing the sad look in his eyes.

"You've proved yourself well to me, Olly. I'll always remember this. Keep that in mind."

Olly nods softly before taking a step back. "I'll, um…go and let you rest, Lor-Jon." He catches his slip before it comes out. "I'm glad you're alive…it's good to see you again. Really."

Jon watches as the boy leaves without another word, closing the door behind him. Once the boy was gone, Jon sighs and feels himself fall back against the bed. He wouldn't feel bad about leaving this place. Leaving it all behind and just going with Dany. But he would feel horrible about letting Olly stay with these traitors.

Sure, Edd and a couple of the other men he could trust would remain but Olly was still a young boy compared to them. He could easily be manipulated into something stupid. Or killed the moment Jon steps back from letting him live. Jon wondered if there was a way to have someone squire a bastard. Was that something people did? Maybe the ones who became noble. There had to be a way out to help him.

Jon glances at the ground, letting his hands rest on his hips before _another_ knock comes on the door. He swore to the gods if this wasn't Dany-

He lets out an exasperated sigh before gesturing to the door. "Come in." This time, the door opens slowly, and he feels his disdain leave him when he sees who it was. And with that, a soft smile comes over his lips. A familiar figure grins at him.

"You cheeky wolf, you."

"Sam," Jon chuckles, walking over and embracing his friend tightly. Sam hugs him back, feeling the plump man laugh against him as he pats his back. When he pulls away, Jon's brow was furrowed. "I was surprised you weren't in here when I came back with Dany this morning – what were you up to?"

"With Aemon, honestly. Dany told me and him after you two fell asleep that you were back – we've been busy analyzing certain things." He takes a step back, shaking his head and staring at him. "Fucking hell. I can't believe you're here right now."

"I can't either," Jon admits honestly. "Seems whatever it was that Dany did, it worked wonders."

"Well, it's good to see you…was scared I'd never get to see you again." He could see the tears threatening to fall in his friend's eyes but he holds them back. "All my friends leaving all at once."

Jon feels his shoulders drop before reaching out, clasping his friend's shoulder now. "We're not leaving you just yet. Don't worry." Sam smiles at him once he says that before it disappears a moment later, and then his hands cross together, fidgeting. Jon raises an eyebrow. "Sam, what is it?"

"You need to speak with Aemon. Now. Before Daenerys comes back with your…new pets."

"Don't say that word to Dany."

"I know, she'll burn me, but _still._ Go and speak with Aemon…you must."

Jon could see the seriousness in his eyes, the moment he tries to keep his cool but also push Jon towards the door, to leave the room for the time being. And, honestly, looking at Sam's expression, he was sure that whatever it was Aemon _did_ wish to speak about was important. So, Jon lets out a soft sigh before nodding.

"Alright…then take me to him."

* * *

Sam had dropped him off quicker than Jon had imagined, leaving him outside of Aemon's door before heading off to _apparently_ the kitchens. And when he entered the room, it was almost as if Aemon _instantly_ knew he was there. His head turned, and although his blind eyes were lost, the smile on his lips was not.

"Jon. It is true." He turns his body fully to face him. "For a moment, I didn't believe that Daenerys and that red woman had done it, and yet here you are. Alive. A marvel."

"Truly," Jon responds. "I still can't believe it either."

Jon walks over silently to the bed, but Aemon holds up his hand. "Wait. Do not sit yet…I just want to speak with you for a moment. When you were dead…did you experience anything?"

"Like an afterlife?"

"No. I don't believe there really is one. I'm talking about…possibly being something else." Jon stares at him in shock, and at his silence, Aemon chuckles. "I pick up on these things, you know. Starks have always been known to have some sort of…strange connection with their direwolves in the past. You're not the first one."

Jon shakes his head in disbelief. "Even if I'm only half."

"Even so, you did _quite_ a good job making sure Daenerys wasn't alone." Aemon stands this time, going over to his closet. "Come here, my boy."

Jon walks over to where he stood, pulling open the door. On the floor, he could see the unwrapped package that Sam had been speaking about before they had left for Hardhome, now completely closed. "Is this news about what's in the box?"

"Yes. I would pick it up but I'm afraid my frail hands can only take me so far. Here. You take it."

Jon nods quietly, heaving it up with ease before bringing it over to the bed. He lets it sit against it, before taking a seat next to Jon. He lets his can rest at the end of his bed before turning his body back to face Jon.

"Now, tell me in your…warged state, did you hear anything that I said?"

Jon's brow furrows, trying to think back. "Not…particularly. I remember you saying that Thorne didn't 'know who I was,' but I didn't think that meant anything. Just thought it was because I was the leader."

Aemon hmms and looks at the ground. "Well…that is not the case." He turns to look at him. "I've been analyzing you for a long time, Jon. From the moment you came here, you often showed different traits of someone else, and it made me realize exactly _what_ family you might be from."

Jon's eyes widen slightly. "Do you know who my mother was?"

"Well…I know who your father _and_ mother were."

Jon's brow furrows at this. "My…my father was Ned Stark."

Aemon was quiet for a second. That caused Jon to stand almost instantly.

"What is going on, Aemon?"

"Don't get your smallclothes in a twist. Sit down," Aemon commands.

The seriousness in his voice felt strange to hear. Aemon was usually a very quiet man and hearing him talk like this meant that it was something very important. And judging by how quickly Jon's heart picked up, he had a feeling it would change everything.

So, he takes a seat, running his hands through his hair. "What? Am I not even a Stark? He just found me and lied about who I was?"

"That's…not true." Aemon reaches over and opens the trunk, pulling out what seemed to be two journals. One was from someone who seemed to be a High Septon and the other…the other of his father. "Before I give you this and tell you what I know, I want to ask – have you ever felt like you actually didn't belong in that family? You tried your hardest and yet…nothing seemed to work?"

"Well…yes. But I always thought it was because Lady Catelyn hated me."

"That's not quite it." Aemon presses the journal into Jon's hands. He stares at him before the older man nods at him to open it. "Read. Let it digest. Then ask me everything."

Jon stares at the man for a moment, before moving his eyes back to the journal. He swallows it lightly before slowly opening the pages, his eyes scanning the words. Within seconds, he sees an entry that felt like it was from hundreds of years ago, but it truly wasn't. It…it was his name day.

' _Lyanna's dead._

_I don't even know where to begin. I don't even know what to do. Half of what we are doing now was for **her** and now she's gone. All because of a baby. All because of this. I don't know what to do. I'm so lost._

_I never thought I would be faced with an issue like this. I grew up trying to take the narrowest path possible so I could serve an honorable life, but now…now I am faced with him. Jaehaerys._

_Well, that can't be his name. Lyanna said to protect him because she's right – if Robert knew about this baby, he would come and kill him in an instant. There would be no doubt in his mind if he knew that another Targaryen was alive, it would be over. I'm quite sure he's already trying to send people off to kill that little girl and her brother off on Dragonstone._

_I'm going to bring him home…my wife will despise him. I know she will. I'll have to lie and say he is mine, and she will think I've betrayed her…everyone will think I've gone against my oath, but I'll know the truth. This boy must **not** know who he is. Not for a long time._

_It's all I can do without losing my mind. I'll…I'll name him Jon.'_

Jon feels his heart almost slow down, staring at the words. What…so he wasn't Eddard's? _Ever_? He…he was _Lyanna's child?_

"Keep reading," Aemon states after a moment.

Jon swallows and continues, moving along to some of the other entries.

' _It's been about a couple of years now. And I'm starting to grow worried._

_While my eldest son is showing the typical traits of myself, Jon is beginning to change in ways that I don't quite know how to control. When he gets angry, he gets **angry.** It's hard to calm him down when something doesn't seem fair, like when Catelyn would give the other children more food than him._

_I try. I really do try to make sure he's treated the same but just…nothing seems to be working. And I can feel that he's becoming more and more like his father each day. I'm only thankful that somehow he inherited his mother's looks._

_But who knows how long that will last?'_

Jon quickly turns to another passage, his fingers shaking. There were thousands of them, all detailing about _him,_ about him as a child, him growing up, he and his brothers, _everything._ He had a feeling that Eddard had had this when he went to King's Landing even then.

His eyes fall upon the last entry, and instantly, he reads over it.

' _He's going off to the Wall today._

_We've been traveling for some time. And he's changed an immense amount. I have a feeling that he's on the straight and narrow. He wants to be like his 'uncle' as much as he can. Find honor in his bastard name._

_Gods, if only he knew…_

_I must tell him at one point. I must tell him the truth. I feel like I've even been hiding it from myself, trying to make him more into a Stark than he ever could be the other, but there's no hiding it. He **is** Rhaegar's son. He's supposed to have grown up so differently. And yet, here he is…unknowing to everything._

_When I return from King's Landing at any point, I will tell him. I swear this to the old gods.'_

That was the last passage. Jon was stilled, staring at the book, almost completely dumbfounded. His mind was everywhere. His brow furrowed. His hands almost ghosting over the words that were written in dried, black ink. It was a moment later he could hear Aemon speak to him.

"Did you reach the last passage?"

Jon swallows and looks up. "This…this can't be real."

"Oh, but it is. Haven't you wondered why you didn't burn up in that pyre? _Why_ Dany decided to do it that way? Why you now have three little _dragons_? Only a Targaryen would have that power, Jon. We are made from the blood of the dragon."

"Then…then I have to be some bastard or…or _something!_ " He turns his head to look at Aemon. "He…he would never…"

Aemon's frown deepens before he gestures to the other novel. "You aren't a bastard, Jon."

Jon gawks at him before grabbing the journal of the High Septon, trying to look for the page he needed, the page with answers, before his eyes land on Lyanna's name. And underneath that…was Rhaegar's.

' _Here does it say that the marriage of Rhaegar Targaryen, first of his name and heir to the Seven Kingdoms, and Elia Martell, is annulled by the confines of laws and men under the old gods and the new. The marriage of Rhaegar Targaryen, first of his name and heir to the Seven Kingdoms, and Lyanna Stark, is hereby proclaimed the highest in the land.'_

Jon nearly drops the novel onto the ground. He closes it with a ' _thud'_ and then places it onto the bed, before running his hands through his hair. And then his face rests between them, eyes closed, processing everything. Aemon spoke after a minute of silence.

"I know you probably have a many questions right now. Please, ask away."

Jon swallows before looking back at him. "This…this means that I'm…" Words don't come for a moment. "I'm…I'm a Targaryen? A true one?"

"Yes, it does."

"Rhaegar was my father? And Lyanna Stark my mother?"

"Indeed."

"How…how did you come to this?"

Aemon chuckles a bit. "Well, at first I had no idea. It was only when I started to realize there were certain traits among you that I related to Rhaegar that I thought it might be possible. He spoke about Lyanna all the time, and I always had a feeling that something between them had happened that none of us were aware of. Little did I know, they had made another heir to the throne." Jon didn't even know how to respond to that. "But, when I began to draw the lines and connect, I requested specific things from Oldtown – you get those sort of privileges when you've lasted as long as I have. I asked for the journal of Eddard Stark, whose things had gone to Oldtown after his demise, and the journal of the High Septon who performed marriages in King's Landing at the time of Robert's Rebellion. Sam was the one who gave it to me and read it aloud, confirming everything."

" _Sam,_ " Jon whispers. "He knows this? And he's kept this a secret this entire time?"

"He has. I must say, I'm quite impressed. One little dose of fear from him and usually he's spitting like a water sprout, but he's kept his mouth shut. I think he respects your secret much more than anything else in this world."

"I…I can't believe this." Jon stands, beginning to pace lightly. "I'm…I…"

"I know this is a lot for you to take in. There is something else you and Daenerys should see in the trunk, but I don't think you should take it until you fully accept what you are and talk with Daenerys. You can come back soon to see it. Just…let it sink into your head."

"Dany." He turns to Aemon. "How long has she known?"

"Not long. Maybe twelve hours or so."

"Did…did she only bring me…me back because of my-"

"Oh, gods no," Aemon instantly states. "Regardless of if you were a bastard or a prince, she would have tried to bring you back if given the chance. It was only because of your heritage that she suggested the way you did it. That is all."

Jon feels the world start to spin. Everything made sense now. How he was able to climb onto Drogon with Dany. How he was able to step into that hot pond without getting burned. Why…why he had felt such a strong connection to the dragon queen.

It was because he was a fucking _Targaryen._

"I…I have to go."

His whole entire life was a lie.

He practically stumbles towards the door and leaves within seconds, barely giving him any time to speak to Aemon once more. He knew he would feel bad about that, but nothing was stopping him right now. Everything around him seemed to feel numb. People spoke to him as he walked past them, towards his chambers, but they all fell on mute ears.

Once he was inside, he slams the door shut and runs over to the bathing chambers that was adjacent to his own. Within seconds, he's on his knees, emptying any contents that were in his stomach into the toilet. It was almost violent, but that was what was going inside his head. A raging storm, one that didn't seem to be calming down any time soon. There were almost pieces that flicked back and forth, hitting his face, but he was so lost that it didn't feel like anything.

He seems to be like that for hours before he leans back against the wall, breathing heavily, his body shaking his eyes closed. How…how had this been? How could he had _never told him?!_

Jon gapes at the wall before standing shakily. He walks out of the bathing chambers, holding onto the wall when he stumbles a bit before walking towards the mirror. The words were still churning his head. ' _Lyanna. Rhaegar. Targaryen. Dany_ ' over and over and over again, like a fiery inferno that spun around his head.

It takes only a moment for his stare to turn to a glare. And his fear to turn to anger. And after that, he grabs the nearest item – a vase from his desk – and throws it right at the mirror, shattering it into a thousand little pieces, with a rage-filled cry.

* * *

_Daenerys_

"Gods, you just don't stop _eating!_ "

When Daenerys had taken the dragons out while Jon was sleeping, she hadn't realized how much they would eat. She remembered when her dragons had been born, they had been hungry but food had been scarce in the Red Waste. They had to ration as much as they could. Maybe it was the reason they had grown so slow.

But Daenerys – in the little bit of training Jon had given her regarding a bow – had shot down a buck when they had gone into the woods. And as soon as it was dead, the dragons had leaped on top of it, pulling it apart.

When she had left to go out to the woods, there had been some stares at the dragons – mainly because she knew most people didn't know about them. But it would have come to the light soon anyway. It was better that they find out now rather than later.

But as they walked back with some of the carved meat, she kept feeding it to the dragons, who happily kept gobbling it down. It seemed they were never stuffed.

The silver one was who ate the most. As soon as she would put away the meat, it would jump right back onto her hand, screeching for more. And she had laughed as she fed it, watching it swallow the piece of meat within seconds.

"You three are going to grow quicker than any dragon ever," she chuckles lightly as they walked back into the castle, up the stairs. As soon as they did, the dragons leaped off her shoulders and arms before jumping onto the banister, settling near the fire that was raging in her own chambers, thinking Jon was still asleep. And, at that moment, most closed their eyes, satiated.

She smiles as she lets her fingers scratch one underneath their scales before standing. She hoped Jon wouldn't be upset with her for bringing the dragons out, but honestly, she had a feeling he'd be more grateful than angry. He didn't know the first thing about taking care of dragons and she didn't blame him. When Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal had been born, neither did she. It came with time.

Speaking of her dragon, Drogon had actually taken off again. Not too far, but to rest at the top of the wall. She had heard from some of the brothers that it was absolutely terrifying, but the dragon didn't harm them, so that was good to hear. He was getting used to being around people. She wondered how Rhaegal and Viserion were doing. All caged up…gods, the moment she got back there she would let them be free. She was tired of having them live in there.

Daenerys turns the corner a moment later and feels herself still. Ghost was sitting outside with his head between his paws, whimpering. She walks over and kneels down, and the direwolf looks up at her, his whimpers subsiding for a moment. "What happened? What's going on, Ghost?"

He whimpers again in response and simply lets his head lower back onto the ground. She raises an eyebrow before she turns her gaze towards Jon's chambers. His door was closed, and it was silent. However, it seems that Ghost was heavily bothered by something on the outside. So, she slowly stands and approaches the door.

She knocks, once, twice, but hears no response. "Jon?" she calls out, but there was nothing. Her worry starts to invade her. Daenerys reaches out and grasps the handle, before slowly pushing the door in and steps inside. She closes it behind her and turns to face the room, but doesn't speak. Instead, she just observes.

The chamber was completely destroyed.

The mirror was shattered, pieces of it hanging off the frame, while most were on the floor. The curtains were torn up and barely covering the sun, but just enough that there was darkness streaming in instead of the light. There were things scattered among the floors, some being broken items like the vase on his desk or books that he had been analyzing before. His bed seemed to be messed-up as well, with furs hanging off the edge, and some of the bed broken on the bottom.

There, in the corner, however, from the only source of light in the room, was Jon. The fireplace was roaring, casting his shadows across the walls. And, from where she was, she could see along with his hand that there were marks of blood. _Fresh_ blood.

"Jon," she quickly says, walking quickly over to where he sat. He was quiet. "What the hell happened?" She kneels down and takes his injured hand in hers, seeing that on each knuckle there were scratches against them. Some even still seemed to be bleeding lightly. "Did you get into a scuffle with Thorne in the dungeons?"

"I know, Dany."

She feels herself still when he says that, her eyes locked on his hand for a good few seconds before she forces her eyes to look up at him. He was still staring at the fire, but this time, she could see his face. See the hidden furor behind his eyes. The rage that laid across his face. The anger that seemed to radiate off of him in waves.

He _knew._

She stands, watching him quietly. "I…did Aemon tell you?"

"He told me everything. Every single last thing."

She doesn't even know how to respond. How do you comfort someone who just found out his true identity when he thought he knew it for years? No one would know where to begin.

"I'm…" She swallows and glances at the door. "I'll leave-"

"Don't go."

It surprises her. He gestures to the bed.

"Please, just sit…I don't think I can be alone right now. We both see what happens when I'm alone."

Daenerys nods softly, moving over to the edge of the bed that sat right next to the fireplace. He was still staring at the fire, his fingers twitching against the edge of the seat. She doesn't speak. She lets him be the first one to open his mouth.

"Years." He finally turns to look at her. "For years, I was treated like shit. I grew up in that castle thinking I at least had _some_ right to be there. Thinking I was his son. I didn't think anything else besides that because I knew I had to work my arse off to get anywhere. And when I realized I would never be to the point where a normal man would be, I decided to come to the Wall. To prove my worth." He stands after that, and she watches as he began to pace slowly. "I was treated like shit…and I thought I _deserved it._ Because it was true. _I_ was the person who showed his infidelity. His broken promise."

He stops pacing and turns back to the fire.

"To find out every single last of that was a _lie…_ " He doesn't move. "He _let_ it happen. He let all of the mistreatment and the shame, and me going off to the edge of _the fucking world_ because he was too afraid to tell me who I really was. Out of safety...fucking hells. If he really cared about my safety, he wouldn't have let me fucking go to a watch filled with _criminals._ " He looks at the ground. She could see him breathing heavily. "I remember when I was younger, and I would play with my brother, we'd pretend to be leaders. I'd say I was lord of something – I don't know, maybe Winterfell or something else, and he'd constantly remind me that I would _never_ be lord of anything. And it hurt, it hurt so fucking much, but I came to accept it. Now I find out that I'm not only not a bastard, but a fucking lord. And the son of a Targaryen…everything was _shit_."

He looks back over at her.

"Jaehaerys Targaryen," he mutters. "Son of Rhaegar and my fucking aunt – or I suppose my mother, now." He looks away. "I can't believe he would do something like this…lie to me. Eddard fucking Stark. I grew up thinking that the Starks were the most loyal and honorable house in all of the realms. Everyone flocked to them for advice because we always knew what to do. And that's what I stood by for years. And now…only do I realize that it was all a farce. Something made up in my head that means _nothing_ now!" He grabs another item close to him – this time a glass – and throws it in his anger. It shatters against the wall. She doesn't flinch.

After a beat of silence, she finally sees a different emotion appear on his face, this time one that causes his lip to tremble and his brow to furrow, looking away.

"I don't know who the fuck I am now."

At that moment, she finally reaches out, grabbing his hand. He looks down at her, seeing him almost debate whether to sit or keep throwing things. But, he chooses the former, as there was so much breaking shit could do to help with who he was.

"I know you're probably going through a million emotions right now, but I'll tell you who you are," she whispers to him. "It doesn't matter if you go by the name you have now, or the name you were given, or a completely different name. You're _always_ going to be Jon to me. Your blood doesn't change anything."

"It changes _everything._ "

"It changes _nothing,_ " she insists to him. "Regardless if you come with me or not or go off on your own or even…I don't know, take Ghost and disappear into the woods, you're still going to be you." She brings her other hand up to stroke his face, letting her thumb linger on his cheek. "You're _still_ going to be the man that somehow managed to capture my heart and many others along the way."

He stays that way for a moment before bringing a hand up to cup her own. After a second, he brings it down, letting it settle in his lap.

"Dany…"

"It disgusts you, doesn't it?"

His brow furrows. "What?"

She moves her hand away after a moment. "Our relation now. That we're-"

"What? No," he instantly states, causing her to stare at him in surprise. "I…I know I grew up thinking differently but things like that…really aren't that rare as you would expect them to be. I'm positive people within the Starks were with each other. I'm also positive that the Lannister's parents were related…people just always stick their nose where they feel they have an opinion when they really don't."

"Then…you _don't_ care that I'm your aunt?"

"Dany, I wouldn't give a shit if you were my aunt, cousin, sister…I doubt my feelings for you would change a single bit." She feels her cheeks redden at that, but nothing but relief fills her senses at that. "Does that make me wrong? I don't know. But I have a feeling that even if it was, I don't want to be right. I tried doing what's right and it got me killed. I'm not letting that shit ever happen again to me."

He turns back to her, and only then does she realize her hand was still in his.

"I just…need some time to process. Get used to this…because I don't know if I can. I…I still can hardly believe those dragons are mine and that this is all…real." He shakes his head, swallowing. "I don't know what to do now. I don't know…where to go. I hardly know how to even feed them and I… _fuck._ " He runs his hands through his hair. "Why couldn't he have told me years ago?"

Jon shakes his head, looking back at her.

"You know what would have happened if he told me? I would have run off. I would have abandoned this stupid cause and come to find you. Probably would have killed your brother for being the obnoxious cock he was and make sure you never had to marry that warlord…I could have done so much…and now here we are. I'm so lost. I feel…so alone."

She could see how heartbroken he was. How everything seemed to be falling apart for him. She wished there was a way that she could simply solve this, but sadly it seemed life didn't work out that way. So, she decides to take his other hand in hers, holding it gently as to not harm the injuries already caused by it.

"You're not alone." She holds them close to her. "I'm always going to be here for you…we were already going to leave together. To get away from here and find a way to save the world. Just because you have this new name, I don't see why that has to change. You're still the _best_ thing that's happened to me, regardless if you're a Targaryen. And even more so, _now_ you can't leave. Don't you think it means something that we're the last two Targaryens?" When she sees his confusion, she waves her hand dismissively. "Yes, Aemon is a Targaryen, but we both know he's not the one who's going to be fighting the battles for the throne. We are. No matter what, the gods or whatever it is that's up there found a way for us to come together. And we can't let this revelation tear us apart. If anything, we need to make sure it makes us stronger. And I know it can."

She sees a slight switch in his eyes, and she sees a soft smile appear on his lips, one that made her own heart sore. Thank the gods. "How can you have so much faith in me?"

She shrugs lightly. "I just do. I can't explain it. But it's always been there and will continue to be there until our dying days."

He doesn't say anything for a moment. The intensity of his gaze causes her to look away, glancing at their hands for a moment. While every part of her was saying to give in to the urge, she pushes it away. This would not be the right time to just let out everything on him. They had to take this slow. It would almost be too much.

"I think…" she starts out softly, before looking back up at him. "We should start out by doing this. Your dragons have been fed and are in my chambers-"

"Thank you for that," he murmurs.

She chuckles lightly at his little embarrassed look. "Don't worry. You'll learn soon enough. They're quite cute - you're going to have to come up with names for them soon. Even so, there are traitors you have to deal with below us. Ones that deserve…the way in which our family deals with people like him. No beheadings. If you want to become your own man and not feel lost…this is the way to start."

Jon bites his lip, but there was another switch within him. He turns to the ground, letting her hands go. "I do." He looks back over at her. "But I only want to burn Yarwick and Merwick. I have other ideas for Marsh and Thorne because I have a feeling they're the ones who did most of the planning."

"What ideas?"

"…you'll see." He turns to look at her. "But we should get Drogon ready."

She nods slightly at his words. "Do…you want to be the one to say the words?"

He was silent for a moment before a set, "Yes," comes from his mouth. "I do. And I want to make Thorne and Marsh watch." Her brow raises. "They need to see what I am – what _we_ are. I'm not going to let them go easily."

There was a dark edge to his voice that sent a chill up her spine, but one that didn't feel bad. In fact, it almost made her smirk at his insistence. She stands up, taking his hands in hers once more. " _Now_ you're thinking like a Targaryen," she whispers, bringing a hand up to stroke his cheek once more. "They will beg for mercy."

"I'm not giving them any," he scoffs. "I'm never holding mercy on my enemies again."

She feels herself smile slightly before letting her hands fall against his chest, feeling the risen skin of the scars underneath his tunic. "Good," she murmurs before turning to look back at him. "But before we do _any_ of that…we have to fix this hand because seven hells, Jon, hurting yourself isn't the way to deal with pain."

He sighs and glances at his hand. "I know. I was just angry. Still am." She guides him to the bed and grabs a cloth, wrapping it around his fingers. She watches as he smiles at her lightly, a true one that was seen for the first time this day. "But I'm a bit less angry now that you're back."

Daenerys almost rolls her eyes at the statement. "You're just happy I fed your dragons."

"…that too." She laughs, and the sound feels welcome in the dark chamber. And he chuckles as well. After a moment, he states something back. "Aemon also said there's something in the chest for the both of us…I think we should go there together later. After we tell the traitors what…exactly I am."

Daenerys looks up to him and nods. "We can do that. I wonder what it is."

"I swear to the gods, if it's another dragon egg, I'm going to explode. I can't handle any more surprises or secrets," Jon mutters. "I'm surprised-out."

To which, she laughs once more, and suddenly the air in the room didn't seem as horrible as before. And the world, if not for that one last second, felt just right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, you were expecting them to do *something dirty* but I promise you it's coming lol I really don't want to push them into that relationship quiteee yet but something gonna make 'em snap and you'll see haha
> 
> I also wanted this to be known sort of as the chapter Jon completely switches, which I hope was shown in the last couple of paragraphs. We're still going to see that loving side that he has for Daenerys for sure as well as the few people he could trust, but uh expect him to get a lot more ruthless *very* quickly. Starting with next chapter. So I hope ya'll are ready lmfao 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments have been the main-driving point of this whole story and have been inspiring me to push out these chapters so quickly for you! You all have been so amazing with what you have said and have given me so many amazing ideas, so I value all of your opinions so much, and I'm so thankful to have you guys in my life - so thank you all for being so amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to join our little story and see what happens next, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: Jon tells the brothers who he is - both traitors and loyalists alike. A dragon gets fed, plans are revealed, and Aemon gifts something to the two young Targaryens, further strengthening their bond.


	14. "Dracarys."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An eventful day for Jon and Daenerys at the Wall ends in dragonfire once the sun falls below the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God I love all of you so much - your reaction to this story has been absolutely amazing and I'm so thankful to have readers that have so much faith in me, so thank you so much for your comments and reactions! I hope I do you proud with this story :)
> 
> This chapter A LOT happens, many of which most of you have requested/theorized and it's a long one so be prepared - wanted to make it extra long for all of you lovely people. I hope you enjoy! :)

_Jon_

She slept with him that night.

Not in the way everyone probably thought. They had been talking until the wee hours of the night about…he didn't even know, at that point. He had a feeling that she had been talking his ear off to calm him down from the anger that had come from him. And honestly, it had worked.

There was something about her that just…cooled him. It was strange. She was the reason he felt he could embrace this new side of him but she was also the person who calmed him when he felt he was losing it. But he couldn't help it. Her smile was what he thought the afterlife would be like, filled with brightness and a sweet touch.

Then again, he had seen what came after life, and he hadn't seen anything like that. Which made him want to cherish his time here with her even more.

Soon enough though, his exhaustion had gotten the best of him and he had passed out with her. Now the sun had just risen beyond the horizon and he could see it peeking in through the curtains of his chambers. A soft streak of light was resting against her face. Through his sleep-filled state, he woke up a little more when she clung to him the moment he tried to move.

He felt himself smile a little before wrapping his arms around her, keeping her close. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her. Gods, he wanted to kiss her. Well, really not just that. He wanted to do _far more_ than he probably should. But he knew she was still healing.

When he had been telling her about his time in Ghost – which she had been surprised to hear but listened intently – she had said that her wound had ripped open slightly when she had gone out to find Drogon. That had turned him off almost instantly. Because he knew the moment he kissed her, there was no bloody way he'd be able to stop. He didn't want to hurt her more than she already was.

So, he had settled for holding her tightly in his arms and falling asleep, listening to the whistling wind outside. For hours, while she slept in his arms as the sun rose more, he thought about what they had to do. He needed to tell the brothers. They needed to talk to Aemon. They needed to burn those traitors. He needed to see Thorne and Marsh. There was so much to do, all in one day. A part of him didn't even know if they would be able to do all of it. But they had to try.

He glances over at Ghost, who was asleep in the corner. A part of him wondered what he would do with him. With the three little dragons now, he didn't know if Ghost would be able to come with them to Meereen. And a part of him almost felt…disconnected with the direwolf.

He knew that was wrong to think. It wasn't like Ned had _completely_ lied to him and said he wasn't a Stark. He was, just by Lyanna's side, and not Ned. But the news was still raw. Even so, Ghost didn't deserve the treatment. He had been one of – if not _the_ – most loyal companion Jon has had throughout his last years here – maybe tied with Sam, honestly.

"Hey," he whispers, snapping his fingers. The direwolf's head tilts up. "C'mere." Instantly, Ghost stands and trots over to him. Jon smiles lightly as he scratches the direwolf behind the ear, watching as he took a seat right next to the bed. "That a boy…we're going to have a fun time, you and I…I think some warm weather might do you good."

The direwolf licks his hand lightly and then settles at the edge of the bed once more. At that moment he heard a sleepy moan and he turned his head to see Dany's violet eyes slowly open, looking around before settling on him. For a second she seemed confused before that expression was replaced by a smile. "Gods, it was real. You are here."

Jon chuckles a bit and nods. "Still alive, somehow."

She leans up, and Jon feels himself smile at her sleep-state. He had seen how she wakes up before – her hair a mess, her eyes crusty, looking around for some source of light, but there was something so sweet about the way she did it. And he didn't know why but gods, she still looked amazing just waking up. How was it that he had gotten so lucky?

Daenerys turns to him a moment later, pushing the hair out of her eyes before smiling a bit. "You're staring."

Jon feels his own cheeks redden before glancing away. "Well, hard to do when you wake up to such beauty."

Ah, he sees the embarrassment get transferred to her. She rolls her eyes and looks away but even he could see the smile on her lips. "Didn't know you were a bleeding poet, Jon."

"Takes a beautiful woman to-"

" _Alright,_ " she chuckles, holding out her hand to stop him. "Gods, please don't turn into one of those men. I've met too many who have tried to use their words to pursue me." She grabs furs from the side, handing them to him. "We have a lot that we need to do today anyway…starting out with the brothers."

He puts on the clothing easily, watching her grab a brush and combing through her knotted hair. Once his furs were on, he comes over and grabs the brush for her. "May I?" She raises an eyebrow. "I told you, I had a little sister – or, I guess cousin…did this with her all the time." Daenerys shrugs and turns back to the mirror, while his hands go to her hair. "That's going to take some time to get used to," he mutters.

"I'm sure…but you'll get there," she says tenderly while his hands start to comb through her curls before brushing gently. He sees her eyes close the moment he does so, a peaceful little smile overtaking her lips. "So…the brothers. Are we going to tell everyone? Even the ones that…stood there?"

She was lucky he was combing her hair. If he wasn't he might have broken the brush. But he keeps himself calm, focuses on her tendrils.

"I believe so," he mutters. "It wouldn't do any good for the traitors not to know. I have my ways of punishing them even though it's not death."

Dany raises an eyebrow through the reflection of the mirror. "How?"

"Again, you'll see." He leans down, pushing her head up gently so that she was looking directly up at him. "Do you not trust me, dragon queen?"

She scoffs. "Of course I trust you. That doesn't mean I'm not curious."

"Then you can trust me enough to _wait._ "

He lets her head fall back and he sees her roll her eyes in the mirror. "Waited this long," she mutters before shrugging her shoulders. "Alright. After the brothers, Aemon…and then the planners? They're all in the dungeons right now."

"Good," he muses quietly, lowering the brush down when her curls are done. She glances up at him as he moves to take a seat next to her. He was quiet for a moment before taking her hand in his, trying to find the right words. "Dany, I…I want to be completely honest with you about something. I know I said things last night but I…I have to talk about this."

Her brow furrows. "What is it?"

"I…don't feel the same." Her expression changed to one of concern and he instantly corrects himself. "Not in _that_ way – trust me, I do. You don't need to worry about that." She smiles a bit at that, her cool returning to her eyes. "But I…I don't know." He glances away, looking to the floor. "I've felt so much…anger. Ever since I've woken up. And it's not just because of this news…if anything it's amplified it. If I do something that's…I don't know, different, I-"

"Jon." She stops him before his rambling could go on. "I'm not going to care what you do. What ruthless way you do it. What you say to people. All I care about is that you're with me, by my side, and that you stand by me…just don't betray me and we're fine."

Jon feels his brow raise. "Doubt I could ever do that."

"Well, Jorah said he loved me and he betrayed me," she murmurs.

"Well, I am not Jorah fucking Mormont," Jon scoffs.

"Yeah? And who are you?" she asks, turning to face him.

Jon could sense that she was teasing him again. And you know what? He decides to play at her own game. "Hmm…I don't know, Daenerys. It's a shame you're refusing to find out." Her brow raises, his words calling back to what she had said before he was killed. "Wish I could show you considering I've done it to someone else."

She instantly leans back, her smile from before turning into a scowl. "Now you're just being mean."

"Or am I making you jealous as you did to me?" he murmurs to her. She doesn't respond, but he could tell by the annoyed look in her eyes that it was working. He chuckles and has her stand, before turning her to face the mirror. "Trust me, Dany. It's all fun. There's no need for you to be jealous."

His fingers start to run through her hair once more, pulling some of the strands into the braids she really liked. "Well, I don't know…you're a handsome man, women would flock to you."

Jon rolls his eyes before turning to look at her. "Dany, if you think I'm going to run to some other woman when I have you right here, you're _mad._ You're not losing me, not by a longshot."

She smiles, turning to face him. For a moment, he wants to throw caution to the wind. There was something so ethereal about her, standing there with the winter light shining down on her from the window, making her skin almost glow. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and fu-

A knock on the door interrupts his thoughts and he silently curses whoever it was. "Come in," he grunts, stepping away from Daenerys. The door opens and in walks Sam. He finally gets a look at the room that was around them and Jon sees his eyes widen. "Don't mind it," he quickly states.

"Right," Sam mutters before turning to face him. "As you requested yesterday, all of the brothers, as well as the wildlings that have remained at the Wall, are in the meeting room. They are awaiting your command. Oh! And your dragons are looking for food – or at least from what I can hear from the queen's room."

Daenerys chuckles lightly. "I'll get them and bring them to the meeting. Might as well introduce them to the world." She squeezes Jon's hand. "Go to the meeting room. I'll see you there."

She offers a small smile before heading out the door. Sam watches her go before turning to Jon, brow raised. "Did you, uh-"

"No, Sam," Jon states, his brow raised. "She's still hurt."

"But you want to, don't you?"

Jon rolls his eyes as he steps out of the chambers. "I'm not going to talk about that." The two of them head down the hallway, and he sees a cheeky grin on Sam's face. "What are you smiling about now?"

"Nothing just…glad I beat you at something."

Jon stops straight and stares dead-on at Sam, who doesn't move the smile from his face. "Good gods, Gilly?" Sam only nods with the same smile and Jon laughs, a hearty one that felt so foreign but so welcome all the same. "'bout fucking time!"

* * *

The meeting room was abuzz when Jon walked in, seeing everyone speaking to each other. He could see the watchers in the back, mostly silent, muttering to themselves while the loyalists were near the front. He could see Tormund conversing with Davos – most likely fighting about something minuscule. He could see Olly speak to the other brothers, a smile on the young boy's lips. Jon was glad to see the child opening up more.

"I'm sure," he begins loudly, which gains much of their attention. Most heads turn to him while some finish their conversations and do the same. "That you have been wondering where I've been the last day. Not only was I brought back from the dead, but I received some news yesterday that…changed a lot. But I'm going to start out with something you might all understand a bit more."

He stands, walking around to the edge of the high table before turning to them, hands leaning against it. He hears a door close behind him and he turns his head to see Daenerys come in with what seemed to be a chest in her arms. He knew the dragons were most likely in there. She smiles at him and takes a seat near the edge, encouraging him to speak. He turns back to the group.

"As soon as Barristan arrives with Sansa Stark, I am going to be leaving the Night's Watch. Permanently." Some of the brothers stood up in shock, others stared in surprise. The watchers from the back even seemed startled at the revelation. But Jon raises his hand, signaling for them to quiet down. And within a minute, they do. "While I understand that the shock of a Lord Commander resigning may be a new feeling for you, there are two reasons as to why I am leaving. One is that because I _was_ killed, I technically am free of my vows. I swore my life to this watch…and I lost it, as all of you know." His eyes traveled back towards the watchers, who were looking at him uncomfortably. He moves his gaze away. "Because of that, I am free of my vows. But if for _some_ reason that doesn't work for you, there is another."

He nods to Daenerys, who stands and opens up the chest. The three little dragon heads peep out. There was a collective gasp/murmur that started spreading through the brothers as the silver one climbed right onto Jon's shoulder, while the darker one settled near his hip. However, the golden one, as he could see, stayed by Daenerys, walking around her hands.

"These are my dragons."

"You…where the fuck were those yesterday?" Tormund comments, his brow furrowed.

"I hid them in the cloak Daenerys had given me when I awoke. Didn't think it would be good to show them off as soon as we came back." He could see Davos staring at the dragons in surprise, his mouth agape like a fish. "I'm assuming you have something to say, Ser Davos?"

The man instantly closes his mouth and shakes his head. "No, not at all." He turns to look at him. "I just…didn't expect a Stark bastard to have dragons."

"Well…that's where you're wrong." Davos's brow furrows as soon as he says that. "I'm not a Stark bastard. I actually am a Stark – well, half-Stark. But what I really am…is a dragon." Everyone seemed confused the moment he said that. He pulls out the journals Aemon had given him the day prior. "My real name is Jaehaerys Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark."

It seems everyone's minds were quickly taking to the journals. Davos and Tormund were the first ones to look at the pages, their brows furrowed. Jon waited patiently as the reactions came in. Some seemed upset, most thinking he was lying, and when they looked at the documents, many looked at him in shock, some in awe. Some still seemed downright confused. Tormund looked absolutely amazed and let out a laugh while Davos had shaken his head, dumbstruck.

That was the pattern that followed each person, showing shock at the revelation once everything was put in front of them. By the time the journals had reached the back of the room, the dark dragon had fallen asleep on the table.

"So…" he finally hears from Edd, who had just finished reading. "So if this is all true…who else knows this? How did this even happen?"

"Aemon and Sam knew – but really only Aemon for years. He had a feeling and wanted the documents to confirm. And here we are now. Turns out all we needed was a murder and a fire," he quips quietly before looking back at them. "My father and mother married in secret, and my mother swore my 'father,' Ned Stark, to secrecy so that my identity would remain a secret from King Robert. I didn't know for years…never even had an inkling of an idea. But now I do."

"That means you're in line for the throne," Olly remarks. "You could be king."

Jon instantly shakes his head. "I do not wish to be king - at least not alone." That seemed to gain surprises from the men in the room.

"But…you've lead the Night's Watch?" Edd comments. "We know you can lead."

"I have, but leading a whole entire nation is different than leading a bunch of sorry sacks like yourself." He could see that got a couple of laughs. They couldn't even deny it. "Even so, I know someone who is much more highly qualified to lead than me. Who's been constantly fighting for this for far longer than I, and I won't allow a name to take that away from her." He turns to Daenerys and smiles lightly at her. "And that would be her, right over there. I'd only agree to join the throne if she ruled alongside me."

The woman's lips turn upwards at his message, and he could see in her eyes that there were more things she wished to say but kept her lips silent.

"However, even if I do support her claim for the throne, that doesn't mean I'm going to just let her do this herself. Therefore, I plan to leave with her, Barristan, and Sansa off to Meereen to help her retake it in our family name. I swore my vows originally under a false name. That wouldn't stand. So, I'm using that and helping her take back the Seven Kingdoms, as she deserves."

"You know some people aren't going to like that," Davos states quietly after a moment, causing Jon's brow to furrow. "That _she_ is going to be the queen when there's a son right there. Some people are old-fashioned that way. Well, most are, sadly. Not everyone has seen what she can do."

The rest of the brothers agree.

Jon nods. "I've come to accept this as well. And they can answer that to the dragons that we have." He starts to walk around, glancing outside. "After my unfortunate…run-in with the planners of the mutiny, I've come to the decision that I'm quite done with giving others a chance to explain themselves. And so is Dany. There are no more clever games. No more uprisings. If we have to fight every ounce of blood we have to get to what we both know we need, we will. The Lannisters must be stopped. The Targaryen's will take back over the Red Keep. And once we do, we can finally end the threat to the North, the one which will truly kill us all if we don't stop it soon. So forgive me if some commoners out in the middle of nowhere have a protest to who is the ruler of their little town – it really means nothing. I'm not allowing the disrespect of someone to take me down so easily."

He sees a range of reactions to that. Some of the watchers in the back were shocked at his sudden change. Some even seemed scared – good. Tormund was smirking at him, which Jon considered a good sign. Davos seemed a bit indifferent but seemed to have an air of respect in his eyes, so he could appreciate that. Edd and the other brothers actually looked impressed. Olly, however, was the one that drew concern from him. He looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Olly," he starts out, his voice gentler this time. "What is it?"

"I…" He looks around the room, and Jon nods at him to continue. "I understand why you're doing what you're doing. But, um…it just sounds like whatever you and Daenerys will be doing won't be…looking out for the smallfolk, where I come from."

Jon feels his shoulders drop before he turns to Daenerys, looking to her for backup. She stands at that. "Olly, that's not at all where we are going with this," she reassures him gently. "What Jon is saying is that if people oppose how we are going to be ruling, we aren't going to let it get to us. The whole reason we are trying to take back the throne is that we do believe people – especially smallfolk – will live better under our rule. And not just that, but we have all seen the threat to the North – hell, I was _stabbed_ by one of them. If not for Drogon, we both would be dead. You have our full commitment to ending those fuckers over there, and we'd be able to do it better if we have the whole country backing our cause, not just the wildings and the watch. Do you agree?"

Some were surprised at her cursing. Some laughed. Jon could see Tormund holding in his own chuckle. He was unbothered. He was used to this version of Dany at this point. Olly smiles a bit and nods. "I do…I just want to make sure the little people are looked out for is all."

"And they will be. This I can promise you. Both of us can," Daenerys says to him before moving to stand next to Jon. "However…Jon also has something else to say regarding…the watchers. In the back."

The _moment_ she says that Jon could see their eyes widen. Some of their mouths even begin to open, no doubt spilling out apologies, but Jon raises his hand again before they could even start. "Stop your squabbling," he commands, and all of them still. "While a part of me would gladly see you hanged, I have more sense than that. The ones who were loyal to Thorne and his men's cause will remain at the Wall. You will be entrusted with the protection of the upper barracks, making sure that you defend it to the best of its ability when the White Walkers come. Will they have a bigger army? Or be able to have animals with them to knock down the Wall? I have no idea. But that _is_ what you signed up for. I only expect you to head to your lifelong oath as I did for mine…before you sat back and let someone kill me."

No response. He could see some were shaking. Gods, these were the men of which he was given to defend the realms? Only now does he so how pathetic they were.

"However. Due to your betrayal and planning against me, you cannot be promoted to any other point than where you are now. You cannot be First Ranger. You cannot Lord Commander. You can't even become builders and go somewhere else. You are confined to the role you are in now, until the day that you die. But again, it's not like you were going to go very far, were you? Planning a murder against your Lord Commander."

Was it petty to say it? Yes. But Jon didn't quite care.

He could see mixed reactions. Some seemed to accept their fate. Others seemed upset. But no one spoke a peep.

"Now." He looks to the ones who were closer to the front of the room, the people he could trust. "For the ones who stood by my body while Thorne and his men tried to end it all, I applaud you, first of all. You answered the call and you served extremely well. The brothers and the freefolk working together as I had imagined. Although I never thought it would be under my death, I am thankful all the same, as does Daenerys."

Most nod their heads, others bow. It still felt strange, but he knew it was something that would come with time.

"But, my thanks does not come without rewards." He sees the men in the back look up at that, brows furrowed. Jon smiles a bit. _There_ was the reaction he was hoping for. "For the brothers that stood by my side, I promote each of you to First Rangers. You are the ones that I trust the most with the protection of the Wall, and I know you will serve the watch well." He could see many of the older ones smiling, patting each other on the back. "As for the younger brothers that are here, I'm sure you will be promoted in time. I'll entrust you to train the new brothers as they come in. I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job."

He could see they were happy with that as well, considering they weren't confined to their roles as the watchers were. Jon glances towards Edd.

"However, with me leaving, there does leave the position of Lord Commander out in the open." He steps forward to where he sat. "While usually there would be an election to find a new leader, I can't see anyone better fitting the bill than Eddison Tollett. A man that has been by my side and stood back my choices for gods know how long at this point and lead the brothers against the attack. He also ran off into the woods and retrieved the wildlings on his own, proving that although our two groups didn't always get along, we can always make room for more people to help when the time is needed. Something a true leader shows."

There were claps in the room except for the ones in the back, most of which seemed extremely pissed. Jon pays them no mind and shakes Edd's hand, who was grinning. "Thank you so much for this honor, Jon. Or, um- Jaehaerys?"

Jon shakes his head. "Call me, Jon. You've earned the right. You will have Castle Black the moment Daenerys and I leave for Meereen. I know you'll serve it well."

Edd smiles at him and nods, taking a seat back down. Jon heads back to the high table as he sees the brothers congratulating him, some sitting next to him now, speaking quickly. At least he could bring a bit of joy for the time being. He looks over at Tormund.

"Torm-"

"If you're about to offer me a position, crow, going to have to say no to tha'."

"I know," Jon chuckles. "I'm not. I know that the wildlings will never join the Night's Watch and that's perfectly fine. But because you came when you were called, I want to give you more than before. I want to make sure that you are taken care of when Daenerys and I are gone. So as of today, I'm going to make sure that your people are given more land beyond the Wall and have the protection that you need. I only ask that in return, you and some of your best men keep an eye around the abandoned watch outposts along the Wall occasionally – just to make sure there's no leeway or anything like that. We want to make sure that you still have your freedom but are still doing what you need to do."

Tormund smiles and nods. "We can do tha' as long as you and your queenie don't burn down any of our villages."

Jon snorts a bit. "That seems fair. Deal." Tormund takes a seat with the other freefolk that were around him, whispering to them. He turns his gaze to Davos now. "You, on the other hand…Dany and I were up for some time, thinking about you. Tell me, Davos. You don't really have much to go back to, do you?"

Davos was quiet for a moment before he slowly nods his head. "I don't. I have my wife back home but I'd rather find her somewhere better to live. My son's been gone for...years now. And with Stannis dead, the allegiance I did have is broken. All I can do now is move forward. If you could just give me some food, I'll be on my way."

"We want to do a bit more than that," Jon states easily. "How does a new home, a position on a council, and being a hand again sound?"

Davos stares at him in shock, and he sees him turn his gaze to where Daenerys sat. She also nods quietly. "I…I'm a bit confused."

"Daenerys and I have collectively agreed that we're both going to make decisions on who should best serve the cause. We believe that there should be people from Westeros that know the land well on our council and we think with your experience with Stannis, you might know it better than anyone we could meet. You've seen his plans, the houses he has, the strategies. We can evolve from that and make it better with the way you've seen the country. And, from there, we can build a resourceful kingdom."

"We also believe that everyone deserves second chances when warranted," Daenerys states from where she sits, drawing Davos' attention. "Yes, we aren't giving those to some that blatantly committed treason, but for what you did, we want to see what you can do if given a choice. You helped me save Jon even when it wasn't your call to save. When you _knew_ I was your leader's former enemy. And yet, you stood by his body, protecting not only him but the men that followed him, because you believe in the common good. That takes courage in this world, and we need more people like that behind what we are trying to do."

"You can leave if you so choose," Jon states quietly. "Go back to your home. Try and find your way through. But if you remain with us, we can not only give you a spot back that will have your wife set, but we will make sure you and she are given a new home once the war is done. A proper one where you can be together again and not have to travel everywhere all at once."

He could see the debate in the older man's eyes. He didn't blame him. Stannis had been the reason that Davos was even in the position he was now, years ago during Robert's Rebellion. But much had changed, and Jon had said he wanted to give the old man a chance despite the past.

And, after a moment, he could see the man nod his head before looking back at the two of them. "I accept…on a condition, if I may."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "For what?"

"If we can make sure my wife is fed back home…that's all I care about. I've been worried sick that she's not getting taken care of while I've been out doing gods know what."

Jon sees Daenerys smile at his words and she nods. "Of course we can do that, Ser Davos."

"Then I will come. Gladly," Davos states, bowing his head to them. "And serve the new future queen of Westeros."

Jon nods to him and he sits down, seeing Tormund actually begin to pat him on the back as well. It seemed all it took was a bit of a push from Jon. And then finally, his eyes land on Olly, who had been clapping politely during everything else.

"Olly," Jon begins softly, getting the attention of the boy. "I saved you for last."

"Because I'm the youngest?"

"Actually, no. Because I personally feel that you're one of the bravest young boys I've ever met in my life." Olly perks up at that, clearly surprised. "Not only did you go against your gut and tell Daenerys of what they were planning, but you also stayed by her side, aided her, and fought alongside the wildlings despite what you may have previously thought to defend my body. For a boy about to become a man, that takes a lot of guts and a lot of bravery. That was a big topic of discussion for the queen and me last night. So, we both collectively decided that you're going to be dismissed from the Night's Watch."

Everyone looked at him in shock. Even Olly seemed surprised and confused. That was until Jon spoke the next line.

"Effective as soon as our travel companions arrive, I have decided that as a newly made nobleman, I don't require a steward anymore – but something I do wish for you to do is to squire me." That changes the mood quite quickly. Olly's lips spread from ear to ear in a splitting grin while the rest of the supporters clap on. "We want you to come with us to Meereen and learn how to be a proper fighter because sure as shit you're not going to get the chance to here. Will you take us up on that offer?"

"Yes, my lord!" Olly says excitedly.

Jon smiles at the boy's eagerness, watching as some of the older brothers embraced him. He turned to Daenerys and saw her smiling at the scene as the golden dragon settled on her lap. But, however, the happy moment was ruined when someone spoke up from the back.

"That's horse shit! He's only a boy!" A man steps forward, his eyes narrowed. Jon didn't know him well, but he was one of the watchers. "He's been here, what, a couple of months, and all of a sudden he's going with you and the queen across the world? It should be a skilled trainer protecting you, not some squire!"

The room went dead silent. All that could be heard were the mewling's from the dragons. Even Daenerys seemed surprised at someone blatantly speaking out. Jon slowly stood back up and walked over to where the man stood, defiantly staring at him until he walked right up to where he stood, face-to-face.

"I don't need someone protecting me – Olly is coming because he wants to learn the ways of the soldier, not learn to protect one. And if I recall…you haven't been here long either, so why are you complaining and not, hmm…Jerrick? Over there? He's been here for years and yet _you_ feel the need to step forward? Someone who is about as skilled with a sword as Sam Tarly is?"

That got a snort from the man himself, who had been standing in the corner of the room. He could see the other men chuckle at the comment. The brother nearly glances away, and Jon could see the embarrassment in his eyes.

"I…don't know, my lord. Please forgive me," he quickly states a second later.

Jon stares at him for a moment, brow furrowed, but then he shakes his head. "No…I don't think I will."

Before the brother could even say anything, Jon had pulled a dagger from his hip and swiped it so quickly at the man's throat that if you blinked, you'd miss it. The men around him gasp as they step away so quickly, watching the already gurgling, dead man fall to the ground.

The other brothers were quiet, watching him. Jon gently wipes the blood from his knife before placing it back in his holster. At that, he turns his gaze back to the watchers.

"What I am doing for you is a _blessing,_ " he says calmly to them as if he hadn't just killed the man lying dead on the floor. "If I had my full way, I would send all of you to burn, but I recognize that there can't _be_ a Watch without brothers, so I'm letting you live. However, if someone else wishes to step forward and protest my decisions, I'll gladly slit your throat as well. Any takers?"

Instantly all of the betrayers step back, shaking their heads, most going to take seats at the table. Jon lets out a low sigh and smiles a bit.

"Good. Glad we're on the same page." He approaches the high table once more, looking to the rest of the men who did support him. "The rest of you, take the rest of the day off. Watchers, head to your posts. The execution of the planners will take place tonight. I hope you all are there. Dismissed – oh, and burn the fool, please."

Everyone in the back takes off. The men remove the dead body. Edd salutes Jon, seemingly impressed with how easily he had come up with that split decision before taking off. Olly comes up to him and Jon squeezes his shoulder.

"Go to your chambers and pack a bag. Barristan will be coming soon." Olly smiles, but before he takes off, he hugs Jon surprisingly. Jon returns the embrace, feeling a bit of warmness come back to his heart at the affection before watching the boy run off. Davos approaches him once he was gone.

"You made that boy's life," he comments lightly before glancing at the pool of blood in the corner. "Not that man, though."

"He had no right to speak. Not after what I'm doing for them." He looks to Daenerys, where the dragons had now gone to her, resting on her shoulders. "She didn't seem to mind either."

"I thought it was fucking _great!_ " Tormund exclaims before grabbing Jon by the shoulders. "Now _that's_ the fiery crow I've known!"

Jon rolls his eyes, chuckling a bit at the wildling's shouts. "Alright, alright, put me down," he chuckles, stepping back. "I wish I could speak more but Dany and I need to see Maester Aemon. Sam, may you take us?" Sam nods, picking up the novel he had been writing in. "We'll discuss more later, understood?"

The two men nod, both going off towards the courtyard. Jon turns to Dany, who had now moved the dragons back into the chest, before turning to look at him with a raised brow. "You…are impressing me more and more, Jon. Swear to the gods." He opens his mouth but she raises a finger to his lips, shushing him. "I know, you said you'd change. I'm just glad I've gotten to see it…if only for a little bit. I'm excited to see what else you have in store."

That smirk spoke volumes. He wanted to kiss it right off of her.

But, she turns her face and lips away from him, turning to Sam. "Bring us to Aemon, please."

* * *

When they arrived at Aemon's room, the little dragons had been screeching so much they needed to be let out. The silver one and black one rested on Jon's shoulders while the golden one took to Dany's. It seemed it had taken a liking to her.

"Unfair," he mutters as they head to the door, seeing Sam head off to where Gilly and little Sam were. She raises an eyebrow at him. "I thought these were my dragons. You've stolen one"

Daenerys laughs. "I apologize," she snickers as she turns the knob to Aemon's room. "Uncle? We're here."

"Ah. The two Targaryen's," he hears the man say with a smile. "I heard there has been some…acceptance? Things happening? Are you…alright, Jon? I noticed some…crashing about last night."

Jon brings a hand behind his neck, rubbing it a bit cheekily. "Yeah…sorry if I made too much noise. Had a bit of a…trauma, but I'm here now." He sits down on the bed as the dragons climb off, settling on the furs next to Aemon. "We want to know what you have. We're both here now."

Aemon smiles at his words. "I'm glad you are here." He reaches out and touches Jon's shoulder blindly, but the impact was there all the same. "I want you to know, even if you weren't a Targaryen, you are still family to me, Jon. You've served the Night's Watch well. I would never have dreamed of someone better to save us in these strange times."

Jon feels himself smile the moment he says that. "Thank you, Aemon…truly."

Aemon nods in response before his hands reach out and he silently touches a dragon. His blind eyes light up. "Oh, are these the dragons? Dany has told me so much about them." He scratches the dark dragon that was near him and it nibbles on his fingers. "Ooh, this one's a biter. Gods, I wish I could see right now. The only time I ever want to regain my vision."

Jon sees the pained looked on Dany's face when he says that. "Well, we can describe them the best we can, uncle. The one that just nibbled on you is dark purple, nearly black. Sort of like indigo, I suppose? The third – one that's near Jon – it's silver, almost like the moon. And this one – it's taken to me, and likes to rest on my shoulders – golden as the sun."

The golden dragon lets out a little screech as she mentions it. Aemon laughs at the sound. "Ah, beautiful. A sound I never thought I'd hear. I'm sure you are going to raise them well. Any names in mind?"

"Not yet," Jon comments lightly as his hand gently strokes the scales of the dark one, who curls up beside him again with silver. "I think that'll come with some time."

"They'll be great, whatever they are. You'll have to let me know." His brow raises. "Oh, goodness, my mind is getting away from me. You came here for the chest and here I am, rambling. Here, Jon, grab the chest and pull it up." Jon does as he says, taking the chest into his arms and placing it on the bed. The dragons jump sightly at the impact but calm a moment later. "Daenerys, you grab what's on top, first. Start from the bottom and take hold."

"Alright – here, climb off," she whispers softly to golden, who patters off of her arms, taking its place next to the siblings. She stands and walks over to the chest, pushing it open. Her hands reach in slowly and she grabs something, her brow furrowed, before pulling it up with a grunt. As soon as Jon lays his eyes on it he feels his mouth open wide. Hers does as well, along with wide eyes.

It was the centuries-old Targaryen Valyrian family sword, Dark Sister. The handles were etched to look like flames, and at the very end was a tiny carved fire, spiraling into the middle. The sword was beautifully sharpened – almost as if it hadn't been touched _once._

"Wh…how? I thought this was lost?!" she whispers, her voice rising with each word, before turning to where Aemon was. "How did you find this?!"

"Well, everyone knows Brynden Rivers was the last man to wield it," Aemon explains quietly. "He went beyond the Wall and never returned. However – ten years ago, long before either of you would have arrived here, there was a scouting mission and one ranger discovered it buried deep within the ice trenches of one of the forests – they needed to make camp for the night and one man made an unfortunate discovery when his bottom connected with the pointy end. I actually heard the man that brought it back was Jon's own uncle – Benjen."

"He found it?" Jon asks in shock.

"He did indeed, but he didn't know that the Targaryen's were still a real house, much-less his own nephew. So he sent it to Oldtown where it's been kept all this time, waiting for its proper owner to come back to it. Little do we know, it was Daenerys' this whole time."

"I…I don't know if I'm worthy enough to wield this," she answers honestly.

"It doesn't matter if you're good enough to wield it, yet. You are the blood of the dragon, one of the last Targaryen's. You _deserve_ to wield it. And that's what matters."

"It looks amazing on you, Dany," Jon states, causing her to look up at him in surprise. "Really…it's even perfect for your size. It's a smaller sword. It's meant to be lighter in stature. I think this will work perfectly for you."

"…you really think so?"

"I know so." He rubs her back gently, smiling at her. "Have some faith in your fighting skills. You've gotten _centuries_ better." He sees a happy grin come over her lips as she analyzes the sword, moving it around in her hands. Aemon speaks a moment later.

"Now, you." He gestures to Jon. "Reach inside."

Jon does as he says, his hand sinking around the edge of the chest. He feels the handle of what he presumed was a sword, but what he pulled out was unexplainable. Unimaginable. Impossible. And yet here it was. _Blackfyre._ The infamous hand-and-a-half longsword. The very sword their ancestor had held to capture all of Westeros in his hands.

"Fucking hell," he whispers, holding it in his hands. It almost felt like the world was placed on him. He had held Longclaw for years, but this one felt almost heavier, not just in weight but in meaning. This felt like it was _meant_ to be his.

"I thought that was lost as well?" Daenerys asks in shock while he marveled at the steel.

"It was. Aegor Rivers was the last to hold the sword when he went to Essos and created the Golden Company, something I'm sure the two of you are familiar with. The discovery of this one is actually a miracle. It was actually lost out at sea one year and wasn't recovered until five years ago by a fisherman. It was sent to Oldtown for the same reasons and cleaned up. I had it sent here when I informed the maester's of a Targaryen's 'final wish.' They'll give in to any old maester if you say you're dying."

He hears Daenerys snort a bit at that but her eyes were still on Blackfyre. "It's beautiful," she whispers before looking at Jon. "How does it feel?"

Jon was at a loss for words for a moment, holding the sword in one hand, and then two, glancing at himself in the mirror to see how it looked on him. And after a moment, he felt a slight smile come to his lips. "…powerful." He looks back at her. "It feels real…almost too real to be true, but it's here." He holds it tightly, liking how it felt gripping against his calloused fingers. "And I know _exactly_ how to break it in."

He looks at Daenerys and he knows she understood his words. "Think I should break in her too?" She gestures to Dark Sister. He shrugs.

"That will be up to you, my dragon."

"Either way," Aemon interrupts from where he sits, causing the two of them to look at him. "You two are my last living links…the last Targaryen's. And you have proved both of your skills well. I do believe with my whole heart that you are ready to take on these rolls and you'll do well using our family's swords. And with them, I trust that you'll bring honor back to our name."

Jon lowers Blackfyre, nodding solidly. "We won't let you down, Aemon."

"I promise, you'll live to see a Targaryen rule once more," Daenerys promises to him softly.

Aemon chuckles. "You don't know when death will come knocking, Dany…but I'll trust your judgment, for now." He reaches out to take both of their free hands, smiling a bit. "But promise me one thing…the reason why these swords were lost was that Targaryen's started to fight against each other, but we all know Targaryen's together are stronger and more powerful than anything. _Swear to me_ that no matter what happens in the future, you two will _never_ let anything divide you. You _must_ remain a solid front, no matter who says what. Do you swear it?"

And when Jon looks into Dany's eyes, all he could see was the same promise he had within his own heart. Together, they speak, "We swear."

* * *

Night comes. Time passes. And after some time, they decide to push off the execution a little longer than normal. Mainly because Jon had one last thing that he needed to do before he did _anything_ to Thorne. And that was have a conversation with him. Man-to-man.

However, there was one thing that was on his mind, and that was Aemon.

Daenerys loved her uncle. Jon cared for Aemon very much so. He had entrusted them with two of the highest relics in their house's history.

Both of them were unsettled about leaving him here with a group of traitors who would willingly try and go against Targaryen's – even if just for that one time today. But once he and she were gone, who's to say they wouldn't try to kill him, even with Edd in charge? He may be the maester, but in their eyes, he was old and the enemy – a Targaryen.

This means Jon was going to find _some way_ to keep him safe, if not for him himself, but for Dany. He wasn't about to let her lose another piece of her family that easily unless he died of pure old age.

Honestly, if he did die that way, Jon would be thankful. That was a blessing in disguise in this world.

Even so, that was something he'd have to discuss with her later. She had gone off to eat some dinner with Gilly while he had seen to himself going down to the dungeons. And when he arrived, he glanced into every cell. Marsh was asleep. Othell was staring at the ground, his body shaking. Randall was biting his nails. None dared to look at him.

Thorne, however, was glaring at the ground while he sat on his cot. The moment he heard Jon's footsteps, he glances right back up and stands the second he enters. "Didn't think I'd see you down here considering since you were brought back you've been kissing the dragon queen's behind. It's not right, that you're here. Why can't things just stay dead?"

To that, Jon lets out a low laugh before shaking his head. "Thorne…I've been _waiting_ to speak with you." He walks forward. "Plenty of time to tell you what I _do_ plan to do with you."

"What…burn me like you'll do the others? If you ask me to kneel for you again, that isn't going to happen…if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would. No matter what."

Jon still stands straight, crossing his arms against his chest. "Ah. You would, would you?" He walks forward to that she was practically up near the bars. "Tell me, Thorne, when you were a supporter of Rhaegar's cause back then…did you know about his family at all?"

His brow furrows. "Why the fuck do you want to know that?"

"Just answer the question."

Thorne scoffs before taking a step back. "He did. His name was Aegon. He was meant to be heir to the throne."

Jon hmms, glancing at the ground. "And I'm assuming when you fought for Rhaegar you were also fighting for his family to continue the line of placement – as in his son would take the throne after him, right?"

Thorne nods. "Of course. We were sworn to the throne. We wanted to make sure they stayed in power due to our alliance. Aegon was killed, though."

"Ah…so what if I told you Rhaegar actually had another son?"

"What with Elia? She-" Jon glances back up at him at that moment, staying silent. Thorne stares at him, clearly confused, his brow furrowed before everything began to sink in at Jon's quiet expression. He takes a step back. "That's fucking impossible-"

"How do you think I'm back from the dead?" Jon challenges softly. "Normal bodies would burn in that pyre. Normal bodies would probably pay for the life of those dragons. And yet, here I am…still alive. The scars on my chest to prove it. And then only to find out that I'm _actually_ the heir to the throne – what a day, am I right?"

"No..no-"

"And now, you can bask in the knowledge that you not only _killed_ the last living son of Rhaegar Targaryen but would willingly kill the last living heir to the throne in Daenerys Targaryen as well. You really are a traitor – to not only the watch but your own values."

"That's not possible!" Thorne suddenly snaps. "Rhaegar never had another son! If you are then you _must_ be a bastard."

"Wrong again, as usual, Thorne," Jon comments. "My mother was Lyanna Stark. _Surely_ as a Rhaegar supporter you never believed those claims that he raped her, did you?" Thorne was quiet. "Wow. You fought for a man that you thought raped my mother because of house ties? You really are a piece of shit. Either way, he _didn't_ do that, but what they did do is marry in secret – the records are all there to prove it. And turns out I'm their son."

Thorne continues to shake his head. "That's…no. There's no way. You…" And suddenly, Jon could see the switch in his eyes. How he had started to realize how similar he and Rhaegar actually were. How Jon had similar mannerisms, movements, everything else. The one man that had fought for the crown was witnessing the next one. And he fell to his knees. "I…I'm so-"

"Don't even bother to apologize," Jon mutters. "Stand up and be a man." Thorne does so, still not speaking. "The fact that the very _name_ changes how you feel about me again just shows just how much of a snake you truly are. I can't believe for years I actually took orders from you. I'm going to take pleasure in what I plan to do to you."

He steps away from the bars and goes to walk up the stairs, but he stops when he hears Thorne call out to him again. "Jon!" The voice causes him to turn slightly. "Please, I – just don't burn me, please. Make it quick. We've fought together to defend the wall. I _at least_ deserve that…please."

Jon raises his brow at the man. "I have fought with every single man here to defend the Wall and half of them still planned to kill me. That means nothing." He turns back around. "Besides. What I plan to do to you and Marsh is much worse than burning…but I don't feel like telling you right now. We can speak later…I'll see you soon, Thorne."

He leaves after that, finally heading up the stairs. He could hear Thorne starting to curse behind him, mixed with cries, but Jon felt nothing. All he could focus on were his own two feet, heading up the stairs, leaving these petty traitors behind.

* * *

A dragon was hungry, prowling along the lands. The brothers had been brought out at the dawn of midnight. A stage was set. They were ready.

They had spoken to their supporters first. Daenerys and he had talked to both Tormund and Davos after their meeting with Aemon, finalizing what they would be doing once they left, where Davos would go once they arrived back in Meereen. Where Tormund would travel to keep his people safe. He talked with Edd, making sure he was ready to take control. He talked with Sam, knowing that when he left with Dany, he would leave with Gilly as well.

He had talked with Olly, seeing the glee on the boy's face when he talked about where to go, and when Dany would come in, and speak to him about how warm it was there, and how he would meet so many amazing warriors that could almost best Jon – as much as she liked to tease. And he had enjoyed seeing the boy's smile.

But now, it was time for what they were meant to do.

They had been brought out where Drogon stood, grumbling lowly for food. The others were waiting. Everyone was sitting in charge. He had seen that even the red woman had emerged from her hiding to see exactly what Jon and Daenerys would do. The two of them waited inside the gate, swords drawn. He turns to Dany, who was staring out into the snow. "Are you ready?"

She lets out a soft nod. Jon bangs on the gate and it opens slowly. Once it was fully up, the two of them walk out together, heading through the crowd to where the traitors were. This was the first time he had seen any of them since he was killed. And looking at each one of them, it was a different feeling. He didn't even feel an intense amount of rage anymore – it was honestly just pity.

These men had been so _dumb_ to kill him. What did they think would happen? Even if Jon had stayed dead, Daenerys would have surely killed them all at some point. He almost felt happy to be releasing them of such stupidity.

He settles in front of Drogon, feeling the dragon breathe down both his and Dany's necks. He could see Randall and Othell shaking as they were pushed forward, staring at the dragon in fear and dismay, before being settled on the stage. Marsh seemed nervous as well. Thorne attempted to show no emotion, his hands chained behind his back, but even Jon could see through that mask.

Jon speaks first. "It's been some time, hasn't it? Well…not too long," he muses, glancing over at Thorne. He still shows nothing but a glance of his eyes. "I'm sure none of you really thought you would be in this position considering I was on a table a couple of days ago, and yet here we are. Mostly because you pissed off a dragon queen and she would never allow for you men to live within an inch of her life. But what some of you don't know is that you didn't just kill a bastard – in fact, you didn't kill a bastard at all." He pulls out Blackfyre from the holster around his hips, letting it sit in his hands. He sees the eyes of all traitors widen. The brothers seemed just as shocked as well. "You killed a Targaryen. One of the last ones. And usually, that means…a death by fire."

Drogon lets out a roar at that. Jon could see the men shaking. "How…how are you a Targaryen?" Othell asks, his voice quivering.

"You see, I _could_ waste my time telling you as I did earlier to Thorne, but I really don't care that much about the comments of men who are about to be dead. And besides, I'm quite tired as is everyone else here, and I'm sure we'd all like to get to sleep as soon as possible."

Jon holds Blackfyre as he approaches both Randall and Othell from behind. They were shaking.

"If you have any last words, now is the time to say them."

Randall swallows before he nods. "I still stand by my choice." He looks at him with a terrified expression but there was passion in his eyes, something Jon could admire. "My death is already certain. But you went against your vows. You brought the enemy in. That's _never_ what a Lord Commander should do."

"So you thought the correct choice was _killing me?_ " Jon asks him with a raised brow. "I don't know what your line of thinking was, but if that's the way you want to do, so be it."

He glances over at Othell, nodding at him next. The older man turns to him, still quivering.

"My mother's still living at White Harbor…could you write her? Tell her I died fighting the wildlings."

Jon almost wanted to laugh in the man's face, but a part of him felt bad. Maybe he would give him that dying wish – not like he gave him any.

He steps behind them quietly, the wind whistling around them. He holds Blackfyre steady and then swings it at the back of their kneecaps in one hit. They fall to the ground, screaming in pain while blood spurted from their bodies. He was glad he could somehow get the traitors on their knees for once for him.

Jon steps back from where they were now, writing in agony before taking his place next to Daenerys. "Are you sure he'll listen to me?" he whispers gently. She nods.

"Because he trusts me, he'll trust you. Just say the word, I promise," she whispers to him.

Jon nods and then turns back to the two fools in pain. "I, Jaehaerys Targaryen, third of my name, sentence Othell Yarwick and Randall Merwick to die." He exhales slowly, before saying the word that had been itching on his tongue for the last hour. " _Dracarys."_

Drogon lets out the loudest growl Jon had probably ever heard before bright red, orange, and yellow flames emerged from his mouth. He could hear the screams of the men that burned before him, kneeling on the ground in their blood, watching from a distance as their skinned peeled off into little tiny tendrils, almost like pieces of food.

For a moment, he did feel bad. He felt bad that he was putting them through this pain. But then everything they did returned to his mind, and he no longer held those feelings of remorse. Instead, it was replaced with justice, power, as sick as it did sound. And now, when he realized it, Jon sort of…craved it.

He had been told his whole entire life that he was nothing. That he would never amount to anything because of his namesake. That he was completely and utterly useless against lords and ladies and the higher-ups of the world. But now, he found out that not only is he a lord but a prominent one of a famous house name. And he had a powerful woman by his side, along with an army that could serve his cause.

He never looked for power, but now that he felt like he had some, he was going to try his best to keep it as long as he could so he could do what he had to do – get Dany to the throne, and get the people of Westeros safety.

The screams do stop, and the fire dies down after a moment, only the flames remaining on the cold ground before being blown around by the wind. As he stared at the fire, Jon was reminded of when he was brought back, the flames that had touched his own body. And when the flames cleared, he felt Dany take his hand from behind, squeezing it, reassuring him that _yes,_ this was his life. This was who he was _meant_ to be. What his _'father'_ had hidden from him for so many years.

' _Fire and blood._ '

The corpses were finally picked up once the flames were cleared enough – well, some of them. Drogon had ripped off one of their arms for dinner, along with a leg, and brought to a pyre they had prepared where the bodies would be burned. He could see Marsh was crying now, shaking his head and stepping back.

"Gods, please!" he yells. "Please don't burn us!"

Jon breaks free from his reverie and looks over at the man, before letting go of Dany's hand and walking towards him. "I don't plan to burn you, Marsh. But I do intend for something else. It's time for you to speak your last words – if you so choose to say them."

The man swallows before shaking his head. "You shouldn't be alive. It's not right. None of this is."

"You made this your destiny when you decided to do so," Jon muses before looking at Thorne. "You've been oddly quiet this whole time." He still had Blackfyre in his other hand, and he aims at the man's neck calmly, seeing him swallow as the tip of the sharp blade pierced this throat. "Tell me, Thorne, do you have any words you wish to say? Or do I have to beat them out of you?"

Thorne exhales, keeping his eyes on him. "I had a choice, your grace," he says, and Jon notices how he uses the formal words now that he knew who he was. "Betray you or betray the Night's Watch. Not only did you bring in wildlings into our lands, an army of murderers and raiders, but you were also going to betray your vows to travel to some other land for the girl. If I had to do it all over knowing where I'd end up, I'd pray I'd make the right choice once more."

Jon lowers his blade slowly, not moving his gaze from Thorne. In one quick jab, he slices at the man's stomach, his anger getting ahead of him, but he doesn't curse or yell. He only gazes as the man falls to the ground, muttering a string of swears under his breath.

"You're wrong," Jon states to him, his voice still as water. "I was going to travel east not because I believed in Daenerys – even if I do. I was traveling east to gain an army of men that could have been used to save your behinds, but I suppose your behind is going to never be saved again." He lowers his sword back into his holster. "While I have a fondness for beheadings and would love to break in Blackfyre, I have other ideas for you."

He steps back from the man on the ground, taking his stance next to Dany. Thorne turns his pained glance to him now. "I fought and I lost, and now I rest. But you…you'll be fighting their battles forever."

Jon smiles when he says that, one that probably didn't make sense to the rest of the people there, even to Dany. But he was smiling. Almost to the point of laughing. "It's funny you say that, Thorne, because in fact…it's going to be the opposite. While I may be fighting battles for the rest of my life – which is what I've signed up for – it's really you that's going to be fighting _my_ battle for the rest of your life – well, you and Marsh."

Thorne's brow furrows as soon as he says that, sweat now coming from his forehead. "What do you mean? Are you planning on locking us away and beating us for the rest of our lives?"

"No. Quite the contrary. You see, I've gotten out all my anger on you that I will allow. I'm not going to split you up because I don't want you to die. A slice to the gut, I'm fine with. But what we need you for is for something far better and will help us in the long-run. You will be brought out to the middle of nowhere, unconscious, north of the Wall, bonded with ropes and chains. You won't know where to go, what to do. And you _will_ be killed by wights - very quickly and painfully, I presume considering how often they have appeared beyond the Wall. Our top rangers will be doing so. And they will be close, making sure to stay hidden before the wights and whatever White Walkers that were nearby vanish, and you're both left alone to die."

Jon sees both of their eyes widen the moment he says that.

"I'm not done." He walks over to them. "After that, once your bodies are recovered and brought back, they won't be burned or buried. We are going to store them down below in our ice cells, the ones that we hardly ever use but now, we'll use them to the best of our ability. We'll wait until you turn into wights. We'll _finally_ have some proof for the people who will surely not trust us down south, and study exactly how this happens with Aemon or some other maester that comes here. And _you'll_ be the solution that we need to win this war and get the army that we desire. You'll be _aiding us._ Isn't that just blissful?"

They had equal looks of horror on their faces. Jon leans in close to Thorne's ears.

"You see," he whispers. "You may think your watch has ended, but it will never truly end. And I thank you for that, Thorne."

"No-pl-"

"You'll be the _savior_ you always wanted to be – only in death." He pulls away and Jon watches the horror shift to anger and fear on his face. "It's amusing how life turns out. We both got what we wanted. You, a hero, and me, a lord. I couldn't see this ending any differently. I hope you have fun as a wight – it was not a pleasure knowing you." He snaps his hands. "Take them to their chains. We'll watch this end properly."

Instantly the two men despite their injuries try to fight against their holders but fall easily. Thorne's body still bled from the inside, but even as Jon watched them get carried away, the man still yelled, "You fuckin' bastard!" And yet the word meant nothing to him now. All it belonged to was a past life.

He watched until they through the gates, with nothing but a blood trail behind them. He turns to Daenerys, who was stunned still. She had no idea that he was going to do that. He knew she'd be talking to him later.

He nods to the other brothers. "Let's go watch a life end."

* * *

Jon watches as they're taken away, curses coming from the men's mouths echoing across the carriage of their chains before the rangers knocked them out within seconds. He wishes the rangers good luck, with food and water, before they leave. And with that, the heaviest burden was taken off of him. Would he have liked to kill Thorne and Marsh personally? Of course. But this was a matter entirely different, something they could use to their advantage.

The men go to sleep and pat Jon on the back for actually going through with the killings. Tormund laughs at it, Davos was accepting of justice, and Edd didn't mind either way. He hated them.

Olly had been quiet but he knew what was going through the boy's head. As long as he didn't cross him, Jon would always be kind to him. And he was right. He had sent the boy off with dinner, before leaving.

After that, he goes to his chambers.

Daenerys went to hers. And she was silent. He didn't get a single word out of her as they were coming down, only the brothers. And when she turned the corner, he felt bad for the first time that day.

Not for killing the men. But for not speaking with her. He should have talked with her about it. If they were going to do this together, he needed to be more open, regardless of if he died or not. She was always on his side and he had gone against that.

When he stepped into his chambers that night, he had felt cold for the first time since awakening, mainly because Daenerys wasn't there. He could see that the dragons were sleeping in their chest in the corner near the fire, and Ghost was as well, his small, red eyes closed and breathing soothingly. He was happy at least they could get to bed easily.

As he undressed, removing his furs and then his tunic until there was nothing but trousers on his bottom, he hears a rapid knocking at the door. His brow furrows as he walks over, before opening it to see Daenerys actually standing outside. She seemed nervous in the way she looked at him but determined at the same time.

"May I come in?" she asks softly.

Jon steps aside. "Of course." She moves quickly. Jon then notices she wasn't in her furs or any other clothing, just her smallclothes and a nightgown covering that. Her hair was completely undone and out of her braids. She looked exquisite.

He closes the door and walks over to the bed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I thought you were upset at me, honestly."

"Oh, gods no, I was…stunned." She looks back at him, a look of wonder in her eyes. "I had no idea you…thought of something so _clever,_ so…brilliant. Not only does that kill them, but it benefits you. All of us. I was in shock." She walks over to him. "Your mind is…absolutely _breathtaking."_

"I mean…it takes one to know one," he murmurs a bit, smiling at her expression of admiration. "Truly, I never thought like this until I met you. You made me what I am now, death or not. I wouldn't be anywhere close to what I feel I can do now without you… _your_ mind is breathtaking, Dany," he counters.

Her smile shrinks into a soft one. "Jon…" she whispers.

Her soft violet eyes lock on with his stormy grey, so many feelings and emotions expressed in that one look. He feels the urge to pull his hand up, stroke her cheek, hold her close. But she has none of that, stopping any movement he did before he could even bring a finger up.

Because within seconds, she wraps her arms around his neck, jumps up, and presses her lips right against his own, kissing him like there was _truly_ no tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll wanted cold/ruthless Jon and he ain't leaving lmfao
> 
> Also did I cut it off just when it was about to get good? Ya bet your butt I did lmfao wait until next chapter XD
> 
> You all have been so helpful with your suggestions of what to do with traitors and how to stay true to Jon's character so thank you. I feel so much more confident in writing his and Dany's characters now and it's all because of you so I'm sending you all virtual hugs! 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments and responses and interactions and theories has made this story so much more fun to write and has truly made my day. I've loved responding to and reading each and everyone one of them so thank you all for being such amazing readers - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a great day! (and Happy Thanksgiving to my American peeps if I don't update again on Thursday haha)
> 
> Next up: Daenerys and Jon *seal the deal.* Guests arrive at the Wall. And the future is planned.


	15. When Dragons Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Dany share the night passionately, and a visitor brings together two survivors at Castle Black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you all SO MUCH for your amazing response on the last chapter, again, oh my god, ya'll are amazing and I love you all so freaking much, so thank you for being the best readers ever! On god i swear you guys are the freaking best! 
> 
> Secondly, I just wanted to let you know I've actually gotten a couple more writing gigs lately so if chapters come a little slower in a couple weeks that's why, so please don't think I'm leaving this story! I love it too much to let it go as well as my others haha so just please be patient, I love you all <3
> 
> Thirdly, this chapter is what ya'll be waiting for so I hope you enjoy - needed a bit of a Stark difference (haha pun) from last chapter to this one honestly so ya'll gonna like this ;) (hopefully don't murder me if it's terrible XD)

_Jon_

It felt like he was in a dream.

The moment her lips landed on his, it was a mix of feelings. At first, he was almost stunned. He questioned if this was really happening, and if she was _really_ in his arms and her lips were on his and this was real. But once he started to not think with his brain and actually _act,_ his arms wrapped around her tightly, stumbling back towards the bed. It doesn't take long for her legs to wrap around him as he lifts her up, their lips still connected, moving passionately against each other.

He feels the back of his bed and falls onto it with her in his lap, all while remembering this feeling. He had pictured this so many times in his head it wasn't even funny at this point. The first time had been admittingly after her first days here, but each time it just got more and more detailed. But now, this was better than any fantasy or dream.

This was fucking _amazing._

Kissing Daenerys was like being reborn. Her touch was filled with embers and fire and so much passion that he could barely handle it. When he had been with Ygritte, there had been some spunk in the way she had kissed him but it was fucking _nothing_ compared to the way Daenerys did it. Her lips moved against his like she was needy for him, desperate, wanting nothing more than to devour him. And he fucking loved it.

He could feel her hands start to comb through his hair and she lets out a soft moan when his fingers begin to trail down her sides. It instantly causes his cock to grow hard, and Jon suddenly felt _very_ confined in his trousers.

While her lips were as soft as a pillow and her body smooth and wanting, he forces himself to pull away – if not for just a moment. Both were breathing heavily, cheeks reddened, lips puffy while his forehead rested against hers. "Wait," he grunts.

"Di…did I do something wrong?" she asks breathlessly, brow furrowed. "Did you not want…me?"

"Fuck, Dany, I want you more than anything in this world," he whispers, looking at her soft eyes. "I…the only reason I haven't done any of this recently is that I didn't want to hurt you. I _still_ don't."

Daenerys pulls back a little, but her arms were still wrapped around his neck. She bites her lip and then a gentle smile overcomes them. "How is it that you just sent two men off to die and burned two others and you're concerned about hurting me?"

"Because I didn't care for those men. I care for you – more than anyone," he responds back softly. "That's the last thing I ever want to do."

Daenerys brings a hand up to his face and strokes his cheek before leaning down and pressing her lips against his gently. It was a kiss that was much more tender than the ones from before, slower, savoring. It was one of those kisses that made your toes curl and chills run up your spine – both of which happened to him. And when she pulls away, she lets her forehead rest against his own.

"Jon, you could never hurt me," she whispers to him. "If I didn't think I could handle you, I wouldn't have come in here tonight…I walked into your chambers knowing I wanted to fuck you. So you can do that and finally fill this desire that I know the _both_ of us have, or we can keep pushing it off until we both explode. Your decision."

Well, at least she was blunt.

His brow raises before he laughs a bit. "You're going to be the death of me, Dany."

"Oh, please no, I'd rather you not die again."

He chuckles before pressing his lips against hers again, feeling her moan against them as his hands start to move towards her bottom, squeezing her arse tightly. Her fingers grip his shoulders as he holds her tightly against him. Jon eases her down onto her back right onto the bed, the furs falling into a pool at the bottom.

He doesn't waste much time with the clothing. He lifts off her nightgown and her smallclothes, tossing them to the side before his eyes went directly to her body, and _good fucking gods_ she was beautiful. He drank it in so much that it almost hurt, yet he couldn't look away at all. The fire almost made her seem more god-like, shadowing her skin in ways that he had never seen before.

At his intense gaze, he could see her glance away, her arms going to cover the scar on her body but he instantly leans down and pins her arm to the bed. "Don't you fuckin' dare cover yourself up at all," he commands her, and her brow raises at his reaction. "You are so beautiful it's not even funny. That scar only adds onto it."

He could see the moment he said that there were tears that appeared in her eyes, but she doesn't cry. All she does is lean in and grab his face once more, kissing him again. Her fingers travel down to where his trousers were, pulling at the strings to somehow get them off. He was quick with his own fingers as well until he tugged them off, letting them fall. The moment doing so has his cock springing free of its confines.

He comes back to the bed, laying her back down with a pin of her arms above her head before he starts to trail kisses down her body. She writhes beneath each one, letting out breathless moans and gasps with each little bite and tug he would do with the kisses. He slowly kissed her right above her collarbone, biting down gently as her legs wrapped around him, before soothing the mark with a lick of his tongue. When he removed his lips, he could see a mark. Good, she was _his._

Her breasts were just as stunning as he had imagined them. The perfect size of his hands, the nipples as hard as stone, his tongue licking around them just as quickly while his fingers reached down below, teasing her. He could feel her growing impatient with every single touch, but he was going to take this as slow as he could. The last thing he wanted was for their first time to be a quick come-and-done.

"Jon," she groans while his lips puckered on one of her nipples, pinching the other and rolling it in his fingers. "Fuck, I… _please_ -"

"Dany, _patience,_ " he murmurs to her.

"I've been _patiently_ waiting for you to fuck me," she whispers fiercely. "Stop teasing your queen."

Jon laughs before leaning up. "Alright," he responds softly before pushing her legs open gently. He could see her slippery pink slit glistening with her juices in the firelight, surrounded by soft, silver curls.

' _Gods,_ ' he thinks as he stares down. ' _She's mine. All mine.'_ Was it possessive? Yes. But there was no fucking way he was going to let someone else take her this way. No goddamn way whatsoever. Fuck whoever was in Meereen or whoever would come next. Now that he had this, there was no way he was letting this go.

He dove between her thighs quickly, his tongue working on her sensitive nub. Instantly, Daenerys shivered and her fingers curled themselves through his hair, writing with pleasure as her hips gyrated up against his lips in a frantic and fast-paced rhythm, needy and wanting. His tongue moved quickly, hungry and firm against her, sliding up and down her slit, around her nub, even going so far as to press deep into the depths of her cunt. He laps at it like a dog in need of water with vigor, his face buried between her legs as his dark eyes locked with her own violet ones, half-lidded and full of lust.

And _fuck_ was she moaning. If the other brothers didn't hear her by now he would be wondering if they were deaf. But he wasn't about to shut her up. Gods no. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

He licked from the bottom of her slit all the way to her clit, her breath and moans catching in her throat as he rubbed his tongue over her smooth and delicate skin, licking his way against her sensitive bead of nerves. And it wasn't long before her legs were wrapped tightly around his head, keening, her back arching off the bed. Her wails of pleasure pierced the air and her entire body quivered uncontrollably.

He licks her clean before leaning up again, seeing her eyes watching him in shock and pleasure. "That…I…" She was breathing heavily as she came down from her high, while he peppered sweet little butterfly kisses along her neck and shoulders, kissing her until his lips landed on hers once more. She moans gently before pulls away. "No one's…done that."

His brow raises in shock. " _No one?_ " She shakes her head weakly. While that surprised him considering this woman deserved to be worshipped, it also gave him a lowkey sick sense of satisfaction that _he_ was the only one who had done that to her. And that made him smile. "Good. We're just getting started, love."

He goes to kiss her again but she knocks his hand away. He looks at her in surprise and he sees her look down at her his hard cock was. She looks back up at him, a soft smile on her lips.

"I want to make you feel good too," she purrs before gently pushing him onto his back. Jon gazes at her in surprise as she crawls on top of him and oh, what a sight to behold, to be Jon and have Daenerys fucking Targaryen as naked as her name day, straddling his hips.

He leans up on his elbows, watching her with desire as she explored the length of his body with her mouth. She planted sensual, hungry kisses along his neck, all the way down to his chest, where he watched as she gently kissed each and every scar from the brothers, causing his own heart to clench. She kissed his firm tense stomach before her lips moved lower. He could see her eyeing his cock hungrily and in seconds, her tiny hands wrap around him, pumping him a few times with her fist.

Jon felt the back of his head hit the pillow and a half-strangled groan leaves his lips. "Dany," he whispers.

But he did not say anything else as her wet mouth was on him, sucking and licking his tip before taking him deep into her throat. He practically hissed the moment she did that, closing his eyes as pleasure racked his body, arching into her touch.

"Ah, _fuck,"_ he groans as she sucked and licked him like she was starved, as much as he had done against her, fast and hard, lashing at him with her little tongue, almost greedily. A part of him wondered where she had learned to do this so well – and a part of him didn't want to know either. But those feelings exited him the moment her eyes glowed at him with desire, looking at him as her head bobbed up and down. And all he could do was try _not_ to explode right at that moment.

While he would have gladly kept this going, he gently nudges her away, not wanting to spill his seed in her mouth, at least not for the first time. She looked at him in shock, almost hurt. "Did I do it wrong?" she whispers and fuck, who the hell had hurt this woman to make her feel like she did _any_ of this wrong?

"No, c'mere." He pulls her into his arms, kissing her passionately and cradling her sweet face in his hands. They moved to her back and hair, caressing her back tenderly while her hands explored his chest. When he pulls back after a moment, he breathes heavily, trying to control his words. "You were amazing, but I want to come inside you this first time, not like that."

He could see her smile a bit at that and then she nods, kissing him again. He moves so that he pins her down to the bed, hands above her head, kisses being exchanged at a fast rate and need overwhelming him. He watches her face a moment later before he reaches down and positions himself at her entrance before sliding in, slowly at first and then all at once. He feels himself groan while she gasps, her eyes wide with pleasure, piercing into his soul. Her cunt was so tight and warm and wet and he was finding it _so hard_ not to let go the moment he filled her.

"Fuck, you feel so good," he growls, head resting against hers. He thrusts into her in long, delicious strokes that had him wanting more. She whimpers with pleasure as he moved, their groans almost combining against each other as they kissed, guttural and needy, his hands clutching her to him.

 _Mine,_ he kept thinking, over and over and over again, pounding against his head like the rapid heart rate in his chest. Dany _belonged_ to him. It wasn't just a matter of lust or passion or duty or anything else anymore. She was made for him. Every movement of their bodies fit so perfectly together.

He was gripping her with a ferocity that he knew would leave marks and bruises in the morning but both of them were so far gone to care. The pleasure was engulfing, consuming. They were drowning in it, lost in one another. And suddenly, everything in his mind stilled for a moment. How much just the two of them had gone through in only the small amount of time they had been together. How much they had done. How much he wanted to do with her.

He pulls away if only for a quick second, just to marvel at the woman that was somehow underneath him, that he cared for with all his heart. That she was _his._

And in that moment he realizes that he didn't want her to marry anyone else. Fuck alliances. Fuck everything. He had died doing the right thing and that had been stupid. This _felt_ right and if it was wrong, he didn't want to be right anymore. And if anyone came between them, he'd make sure a bloodbath would ensue.

The intensity between them almost made them laugh, both of them smiling and breathing softly. He brings a hand up to stroke her cheek, brushing away a piece of her hair from her eyes. "Tell me what you want," he whispers.

Her hands stroke his back, gripping his shoulders. "All of you. Everything."

"Then everything you'll get," he swears before sealing that with another kiss to her lips. He pulls back after a moment and she gazes at him with such a sweet and tender look that it nearly made him come right then.

"Ñuha zaldrīzes," she murmurs, her hand coming up to stroke his cheek. He didn't know what it meant, but the way she said it had him keening and he wanted to learn Valyrian just so he could say it back to her properly.

"Ñu..ha zaldrīzes," he attempts, and it makes her laugh. It was the best sound he had ever heard and it makes him laugh as well.

"We'll work on it on the way to Meereen," she promises before kissing him again. He resumes rolling his hips as they kissed, each peck feeling like burning fire between the two of them, a warmth in which he never wanted to leave.

It doesn't take long for his name to fall from her lips again in a pleasure-seeking whispered plea, over and over as if she was praying to some god. He answered that by thrusting harder, deeper, pinning her against his body so much. His thrusts increased even quicker and at that moment he heard a sickening *crack* and felt the bed break beneath them but fuck it, he was too lost to give a shit.

He growls against her skin primally, wild, and untamed, his thrusts losing their rhythm while his fingers reached down to rub at her clit only twice, knowing she was close. And then she tips her head back, surrendering her body to him with the next hard plunge, shattering in his arms. She cries out his name in a shrill voice, the pleasure of her orgasm overtaking her, her cunt clenching onto him in a vice grip.

Jon couldn't help himself and smiled a bit smugly for pleasuring her so well, picking up his own pace, searching for his own release. It only took a couple more thrusts before a burst of fire exploded within him, his cock throbbing and pulsing as he shot his seed directly into her quaking cunt. He muffled his groans of pleasure against her hair as soft as silk, now drenched in sweat.

The two of them laid still for a moment, both trying to regain their senses. Jon lifts his now messy head of hair before looking down at her, and the moment their eyes connect, they both start to laugh, slowly and then all at once.

"What the fuck took us so long?" Daenerys breathes, shaking her head with that same smile on her lips.

Jon pulls her into his arms as he slips out of her, pulling her against his chest. "I don't even know." He looks down at her and kisses her gently, one that's much sweeter than the ones from before. When he pulls back, he bumps her nose against his. "All I know is that I want to do it again and again."

Daenerys chuckles. "I'm completely alright with that."

He smiles at her words and then something from their coupling comes to mind. "You said no one had ever…done that to you?" She shakes her head lightly. "You're serious?"

"Well…Drogo was always a bit more focused on _his_ pleasure, and I didn't really have a say in that sort of thing sometimes…Daario didn't seem to really know where to put his mouth but he never put it _there._ " She looks back at him, her cheeks still red and puffy. "I didn't know someone could feel so much…pleasure."

Jon smiles again at her words. It was stunning how this woman was the epitome of fiery when dealing with her enemies but with him, he got to see this completely vulnerable side of her. It was beautiful. "I'll be more than happy to do that again for you," he murmurs, to which she smiles. "And your…mouth, I-"

"It was my first time," she admits, and he looks at her in surprise.

"It…it _was_? You were…I…fuck, Dany. You were so good." Her cheeks redden even more but she looked proud of herself too. "You've really never done that?"

"A queen only gets on her knees for men who've earned that right," she responds softly. "I think you've more than earned it."

Jon smiles again at her words, not even knowing what to say. He was going to say multiple prayers tonight to thank whatever god was up there that she was here with him. He kisses her, stroking her cheek, letting his forehead rest against hers. He felt happy, truly. Nothing would ever beat this moment, of her laying in his arms, completely sated and tired from their coupling.

"Sleep, my love," he murmurs. "You're exhausted as am I. We have much to do tomorrow."

She hmms out and lets her head rest against his chest, her eyes close. And soon, he does the same, falling asleep peacefully for the first time in days.

* * *

The morning comes. Jon blinks the sleep from his eyes and wonders if the night before was indeed true. But when he felt the nude body of Daenerys cling onto him as he tried to move, he knew everything that had happened was real.

He runs a hand over his face before a smile comes over it. Good fucking gods, that had _actually_ happened. He and Daenerys had coupled. And it was even better than any time he could have imagined it or dreamed it. The feeling of her soft body against his, her moans of pleasure echoing across his chambers, her beautiful eyes connecting with his own.

Fuck…he was so done. She had taken his heart and spun it around and now there was truly no going back.

He looks down at his love and brushes away her hair from her face, tucking a strand behind her ear. He leans down and presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, and that one movement seemed to stir her. Her eyes opened slowly and he was greeted with sleepy violet orbs that showed so much beauty and love in them. She seemed confused for a moment before she realized where she was and then laughs lightly.

"Good morning, beautiful," he murmurs to her. "You don't need to wake up, yet."

She shakes her head, pushing back her hair from her face. "You don't need to worry. I'm perfectly awake." She moves her gaze to look up at him and smiles at him. "Good morning to you, too." He leans down and kisses her lips this time, each kiss feeling exactly like the first. When she pulls back, she smiles against his own. "How'd you sleep?" she asks honestly.

"Wonderfully," he muses. He lays her back down on the bed and she laughs as he starts to kiss along her neck.

"Jon, we can't do that right now."

"And why not? No one's stopping us," he murmurs. She pulls away, causing him to frown playfully but she leans in and kisses him again. When she pulls back once more, her forehead now rests against his own. "Last night was really real…" His hand comes up to stroke her cheek. "I can't believe we waited until now to do so."

Daenerys smiles softly at his words while his finger traced her lips. "Is it just me or was Aemon sort of…pushing us together?"

"Oh, he was playing matchmaker _very much so._ "

Daenerys snickers, taking his hand in hers. "Well, it worked quite well." She sighs happily as she cuddles against his chest, her head resting against it. "That was the best time I've ever had. I, uh…I'm pretty sure that was also the best, um… _you know,_ that I've ever had." Jon raises an eyebrow down at her and he sees her cheeks turn red. "You _know._ "

"You mean when you came?" he chuckles a bit. She nods a bit and tries to hold in his laugh. She was so cute when she was like this. "Dany, you can say it." He tilts her head up and kisses her softly. "I'm glad because you can expect _many_ more of those."

Daenerys grins against his lips before he pulls away, holding her closely. She looks back up at him. "So…what does this mean for us now?" Her voice sounded so innocent, inquisitive. "Because I don't want this to stop," she admits honestly.

Jon brings a hand up to stroke her cheek. "It means that I'm not letting anyone else touch you. You're mine, Dany," he whispers gently to her, to which she smiles at his words. "I think you've really always been…I just need someone to push me. Namely you. Pretty sure that if I saw another man touching you, I'd have their head."

She lets out a surprised laugh and shakes her head. "I'm sure you would." She leans back up, brushing her hair behind her head again. He watches her from the bed as she walks over, grabbing a fur cover-up she had left in there the night prior. He admires the view, watching the way her bottom swayed as she walked. He could feel himself stir watching her. When she turns to look at him she could see the look in his eye and rolled her own. "Jon, you must tell me you can go _one_ minute without thinking of fucking me."

"That's impossible to do."

She rolls her eyes and comes over to him, before settling down on his lap with ease. He could feel her naked bottom underneath the furs. "How about we talk about _actual_ plans?" she asks him lightly. "We have to speak about Meereen."

Jon sighs and bites his lip. "Fine. Alright. But don't expect me to pay attention for long with you dressed like that."

Dany rolls her eyes and glances down at the bed and within a second, her eyes widen slightly. "Good gods. Jon, we broke the bed."

He looks to where she was looking and feels himself laugh. Sure as shit at the bottom of the bed both of the posts were gone and broken in half. He remembered them breaking the night before and he didn't care when it happened, but now looking at it he was grinning his head off. "Just shows we had a fun time." He wiggles his brow at her. "We can have more fun if you want."

" _Jon._ "

He snickers and lowers her onto the bed, trying to be gentle with her. He could see the bruises had shown from the night before, along with the marks, but she didn't seem to mind and hadn't brought it up once. "Okay, okay, talk."

She smiles at his words and nods. "So, I know that as soon as Barristan returns with Sansa, we're all going to go to Essos…are we sure that she's going to _want_ to come?" Jon's brow furrows as Daenerys nods out towards the window. "Even if _you_ aren't a full Stark, she _is._ I can promise you she is going to want to exact some sort of revenge on Ramsey or what he's done to her. Don't you want to regain Winterfell? You've said that to me, but it's been…lost lately."

Jon sighs and glances at the ground. He had been. She wasn't wrong. "Dany, I'm going to be completely honest with you." He looks back up at her. "I don't know…how to feel anymore. I grew up thinking that Winterfell was at least my home and now I…I can't think of it without remembering what Ned did to me." He glances away. "I mean, how bad would it have been if he just _told me?_ I would have probably left Westeros. Gone to find you…live a life. But he took that away."

"All that matters is that we're together now," she reassures him softly and takes his hand in hers. He manages a tender smile to her at her words. "But there's no way you can let Ramsey hold Winterfell. The Bolton's are horrible people. And a Stark must always remain in Winterfell, at least from what I've learned."

"I know," Jon sighs. "I know and I've been thinking about it, but I'm so tired of fighting battles for everyone." He glances back at the ground. "For years that's all I've done, listen to what other people had to say and fight their fights for them. But for once I want to fight the battles that I _know_ need to be done. Of course, I'm going with you but it's not just for feelings or our family – it's to gain men, to get the ones we need for the fight against the dead. If I was to waste time with this…I don't know how many men we might lose against Ramsey's. We need _everyone_ we can get."

Daenerys bites her lip. "Do you know if Sansa might have any…relations to houses?" At his questioning glance, she rewords. "I mean with all the traveling that she's done across the country, do you think she might be close with any other noble houses that might be willing to offer their men?"

Jon was silent for a moment before he slowly shakes his head. "No, but I really don't think it's of her own accord. The Lannister's hate the Starks for a completely different reason obviously, not just because of her. I'm not sure if the Tully's are on her good side considering Catelyn is dead…maybe the Arryn's?"

"Why the Arryn's?"

"Well, her mother's _sister_ was married to Jon Arryn, and they had a son, Robin. So I'm sure that they're still there and that she's visited them at least once since she escaped from the Lannister's. She might have _some_ relation there." He looks back at her. "Are you thinking of the Vale's army?"

"They haven't been touched much since the beginning of this war," she states quietly. "They would probably be willing to fight for her."

"Sansa doesn't know the _first clue_ about military prep, Dany."

"And? I didn't know anything about that when I decided to take over and I've learned so much. Everyone starts _somewhere,_ Jon."

Jon shakes his head. "That's the thing. She's not like you, Dany. Sansa is…cold. Calculated. But she has no passion. She has no fire. And if she doesn't do well at something instantly she blames it on someone else. I don't know if she'd be able to do that."

Daenerys raises her brow at him. "Jon, I think you need to give your cousin the benefit of the doubt. How long has it been since you've seen her?"

"…years? I don't know at this point."

"Don't you think she's probably changed a lot in that timeframe? I know I'm not the same woman I was years ago." Jon slowly nods, seeing her point. "Let's wait until she gets here. You might be pleasantly surprised at who she is now. We don't know for sure if something has changed."

Jon sighs and nods. "Alright, you're right. But I still don't know if I want to fight for that place…I may be half Stark but I…I don't know." He lets his head rest against the back of the bed. "Times like this I wish Robb was still alive. He'd fight for Winterfell easily. And Bran and Rickon are…gods know where." He shakes his head. "And Arya…fuck. Even if they aren't my siblings I'm still worried sick about them."

Daenerys squeezes his hand gently, which causes him to look back over at her sweet face, full of worry. "We can try and find them?"

"I don't know if there's any point."

"There's always a point. Everything is worth the chance," she whispers to him. "You didn't think me staying here would be good and look where we are now. You took a shot."

Jon smiles a bit at her words before nodding. "You are right…the best shot I ever took." He kisses the top of her head and sighs a moment later. "I'll see if I can find any clues on them. Maybe they're still here or maybe they're dead but you're right…it's worth it just to know."

Daenerys nods clearly pleased with his answer. Her brow furrows a moment later. "Jon?" He looks down at her. "What exactly _happened_ to Robb?"

Jon was quiet for a moment before answering. "They stabbed him," he mutters. "Threw his body into the water. Same with his mother except they slit her throat." He glances down at her, seeing her look of confusion. "What is it?"

"No, just…they never found his body? I heard rumors they, uh…cut off his head."

Jon shakes his own. "No, those were just rumors. It was actually one of his loyal men they killed and cut off _his_ head…used the direwolf as a replacement, paraded him around like dogs. They didn't want to waste time with his body." Jon sighs. "They never even recovered it. Never gave him a proper funeral…just at the bottom of a lake somewhere. Fucking pieces of shit." He glances over at the fireplace - the fire had long gone out. Ghost and the dragons were still sleeping. "Now that I think about it I wouldn't mind killing the Bolton's."

Daenerys raises her eyebrow at him. "They do need a rude awakening...I just don't know exactly how. It's a shame…maybe that's something we can try to do…settle that debt with the Starks. Winterfell needs to be won back by the Starks for the North's support in the wars to come. There's no way we can win this without them. They've defended themselves against so many threats in the past. They're a strong, independent unit. There must be a way we can end this war before it even begins. Somehow."

Jon glances down at her before smiling lightly. "Well, if anyone can do it, it's you."

She turns to look at him and scoots closer. He answers by pulling her into his arms, settling her on his lap. "Tell me more about the future."

Jon quirks a brow at her request. "About what?"

"Anything. I just…I want to think about that and not about…what's to come. Just for a few minutes."

He could see the need in her eyes, the want to think about something better, anything other than death. And while he knew that couldn't last for long, and so did she, he thought he might as well indulge her offering this one time.

"Well…we leave the Wall," he starts out softly, bringing a hand up to stroke the back of her neck. "We leave and we only come back to fight those White Walkers. We'll go to Meereen and take back your city, and your people will love you. You and I will bring together a council of some of the best allies and fighters the world has ever seen. And then once that's done, we'll sail back to Dragonstone, with all of our dragons."

He sees her smile at that. "And…what happens when we get to Dragonstone?" she asks softly.

"The rest is up to you, love," he murmurs. "We can ride to King's Landing and burn down the Red Keep, kill every single last Lannister in there. We can capture hostages and make it a clean take-over. We can ride North and see if we can take out this threat. We can ride to Winterfell and kill the Bolton's. Whatever your heart's desire, I will grant it."

At that moment, he sees her face fall and she glances at the ground. A moment later, she attempts to pull back but he holds her close, looking at her worriedly.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice laced with concern. "Did I say something bad?"

"No, everything…everything you said is what I want but what I truly desire…it's something I can't have."

He stares at her in confusion. "Then what is it, Dany? If you wanted the sun, I'd find a way to catch it for you. Just tell me."

"Jon…"

"Please."

She looks down at him, biting her lip. Her hand comes up and he feels her fingers rest against his beard, scratching the little scruff that grew there. "I…do you remember last night? The name I called you in Valyrian?"

"You mean the one I butchered horribly? Yes."

She giggles lightly at that, something that was welcoming to his ears instead of her frown. "Yes, that word…it meant 'my dragon.' Because Jon, I…" Her voice was shaky, trembling. "I don't want to…do this with anyone else. I can't picture being with someone else and…and doing this whole conquering and ruling commodity. I look at you and I…I feel like I'm home. You _are_ my dragon…the blood of my blood." He could see tears threatening to come down her eyes. Shit, he was holding back his own at her words. "But…but there's something you _must_ know."

"Then what is it?" he asks her pleadingly, holding her tightly. "Tell me. You don't need to be afraid."

Her eyes search his own and he tries his best to show that all he wanted was to love and support her and make sure that nothing wrong was going on inside that gorgeous head of hers. But when she went to open her mouth and speak, a knock sounded at the door. Jon silently curses as Daenerys turns her head to look at it. The sound wakes up Ghost, and the dragons begin to screech.

"Who is it?" Jon barks.

"Your grace, someone's come to see you," he hears Olly say through the door.

Jon shakes his head and turns back to Dany. "It can wait!"

"It…it's Ser Barristan. And he's with Lady Stark."

The two of them freeze. It was morning. The snow had just finished falling. And their companions had arrived. He turns to look at her and presses a gentle kiss to her lips. She nods in acceptance when he pulls back. He sighs. "We'll be out in a minute!"

"Yes, your grace!"

He hears the steps run away and Jon lowers her onto the broken bed. "We will continue this later...please, don't hide anything from me." He pulls her up, holding her close to his naked body, but she doesn't seem to care. Not after the night before. "If we're doing this I want to know everything about you. Don't feel afraid to tell me what you feel or what is going on. I'm not going to judge anything you say."

Daenerys nods softly to that and kisses him one last time, arms around his neck. If it was up to him, he'd take her on the bed right there and then again. But sadly, it wasn't. They had other things they had to do. So, the two separate and quickly dress, ready for the shit storm that was about to go down.

* * *

When the two of them emerged – albeit a little messy and underdressed but dressed all the same – they ran to the stairs where the courtyard was. Jon was the first one in there and he stilled when he saw them, standing at the entrance. There she stood, Sansa, hopping off of her horse, her furs wrapped tightly around her.

Daenerys nudges past him a little, running down the steps. He watches as Dany runs up to Ser Barristan and hugs him tightly. The older man embraces her, laughing. Jon feels himself smile a bit at the reunion. He was glad to see her so joyful of his return. "I've missed you so much," Dany says into his neck before he lets her go, grinning at him. "You did as I asked perfectly. Thank you, Ser Barristan."

"Anything for you, my queen." Jon walks down the stairs slowly, glancing over as Barristan looks at him. "You've kept her alive. I shall thank you for that, Lord Commander."

Jon winces slightly at the name. "Yeah...I'm…not the Lord Commander anymore."

Barristan's brow raises highly. "I…he's…what?"

Daenerys pulls Barristan away as Jon heads through the small crowd around them. "Much has happened. We'll explain everything to you later. We promise," he hears her whisper to him. Jon walks right up to where Sansa was, who was staring at him in shock. A tall woman stood behind her, the tallest he had ever seen, along with a younger man.

But all he saw was her. His sister. Well, his _cousin,_ really. But suddenly, it didn't matter what their relationship was. What they had gone through as children. What they had gone through separately.

Because out of all the Stark 'children,' they were the first ones reunited in years. And although he was indifferent to Ned, there was nothing he could do to stop the overwhelming emotions that took over him when he looked at Sansa's eyes. She had seen it all. He could see the cuts and scars on her face. The wounds in her gaze. She had seen some horrible things.

Just as he had.

At that moment, they weren't siblings, or cousins, friends, or anything else. They were two survivors. And that's what brought him forward to hug her tightly, lifting her into his arms, embracing her as hard as he could.

While the dragon had risen from the flames within him, he could see a wolf had grown within her as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo what ya'll think lol
> 
> I never thought I was super good at writing smut so if it's not great please don't leave my story I promise it's still going to have all the same elements in it wahhhh please don't leave I love you all so much haha I hope that the fluff/smut was a nice break from the darkness we saw last chapter but that ain't gonna be here for super long so stay tuned lol 
> 
> Second, yes, Robb was not decapitated here. his body was dumped in the water, so take that with what you will. I told ya'll I'm changing some things around here because I ain't doing shit of what the TV show did lmfao 
> 
> Thirdly, I've seen a lot of comments talking about Sansa and how you're worried she's going to be unlikeable and honestly I don't even mind spoiling this - Sansa is not going to be a villain in this story. Will she be headstrong, independent and cunning? Yes. But she's not going to devolve into the bullshit that she was in season eight where she just straight up betrays Jon's trust, like what the fawk. I actually really liked her character development as a young woman who went through trauma and came out the other side standing and thought "wow her and Dany would have a lot in common" but D and D were like fuck that shit, so we are saying fuck you to them and making our own story because fuck D&D. 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments are always super, amazingly fantastic and what causes me to push out these chapters so quickly for you. You guys have been so responsive and awesome on this that I feel so much love and you've made my 2020 amazing, so thank you all so freaking much - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day and had a great Thanksgiving for all my American buddies! 
> 
> Next up:


	16. An Offer She Can't Refuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon, Daenerys, Sansa and Barristan all sit down for an honest conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the amazing response on the last chapter! This one brings back the form of planning and cunningness and calculated and back to the plot, so no real fluff here - sorry! But it can't always be like that last chapter haha I hope you enjoy! :)

_Jon_

"I was awful, just admit it."

Jon had to say, the reunion wasn't as horrible as he thought it would be.

For a while, especially after he had been brought back, he dreaded the day he would reunite with his cousin. Mainly because he thought she would be the same. But talking with her, he could see that there was a change in the way she spoke, or laughed, or even talked about her past. There was some resilience in that gaze, something that wasn't there before.

Obviously, it had been years, but it was still pleasant to see a change, even in the way she spoke.

"You were occasionally awful," Jon chuckles a bit. "I'm sure I can't have been great fun. Always sulking in the corner while the rest of you played."

Sansa chuckles a bit. "Can you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

" _Jon._ Forgive me."

Jon snickers a bit. "Alright, alright. I forgive you." She nods a clear smile on her lips at his words. She glances at his drink and he nods at it. "You want a sip?" She shrugs and takes the goblet gently from him before tugging it up towards her lips. Instantly she begins to cough, making a face before giving it back to him. He chuckles. "You'd think after thousands of years, the Night's Watch would have learned how to make a good ale."

She shakes her head, glancing at the fire in the corner. "So…what exactly happened?" She turns back to look at him. "I see the dragon queen is here…and you saying you're not Lord Commander anymore doesn't sound good."

Jon sighs and glances away. "Well when I sent Barristan off to get you, I was." He looks back over at her once more. Daenerys and Barristan had given them some space to talk, but he had a feeling he would have to bring them in for this part of the story. It was better if he told them both. "Do you mind if I bring the others in as well?"

Sansa nods quietly. "Yes, of course."

Jon nods and gets up, before calling down the hallway. "Dany!"

Instantly, he sees Dany and Barristan pop their heads over the side of the wall before walking over. He could see Barristan still looked confused as all hells below them as to what had happened, but hopefully, Jon would clear some of that up.

He lets them in and watches as the two take seats a bit closer to the fire. Jon moves back over to where he sits, glancing at Barristan. "Did Dany give you a good meal?"

"Good enough where I didn't vomit. Not great, though," Barristan comments before he raises his brow at Jon. "You have _much_ explaining to do. What in the name of the seven hells happened?"

Jon sighs and looks to Daenerys, who nods at him to talk. "Well…after you left things were…messy." He looks back at Barristan. "I'm sure Barristan explained why Daenerys is here to you Sansa, correct?" His cousin nods quietly. "Well we tried to come up with the best way for her to stay hidden and be able to talk with her uncle while also staying safe, so she was under the guise of a young boy, Daryn. But, uh…Dany doesn't like to back down when someone's getting mistreated. And she got into a fight her first day."

"He stroked me while I was down!"

"You still ended with a slit in your stomach, Dany."

"She ended with _what?!_ " Barristan exclaims.

"Wait, let me speak. Please." Barristan looked concerned but doesn't say anything else. "After that, I decided that it was best she stay away from the other brothers and made her my 'squire,' that way she could see her uncle and be inside for most of the day. And over time, we…got to know each other, I presume. And at some point, she offered her army for what we need."

Sansa's brow raises. "What army? For what?"

"The army of the dead." Sansa stares at him, dumbfounded. "I swear. It's real. All of it." She didn't seem convinced. And neither did Barristan. Jon struggles to find the right words but Dany reaches over and squeezes his hand. He could see Barristan watch the movement carefully.

"I'll show them." She stood up before he could even question what, and then he watched as she lifted a part of the tunic she wore, showing the still healing scar from Hardhome. It was patched over now but had terrible bruising. Sansa brought a hand to her mouth in a gasp while Barristan stood up, his hands at his sword, glaring at Jon.

"What the hell have you done to her?!"

"He hasn't done anything!" Dany instantly fights back, stepping in front of Jon who was startled at the sudden change in events. "He kept me by his side at all times. The only reason I got this is because of a fucking blizzard that the White Walkers caused!"

Barristan's brow raises at her words. "What, so you've seen them now?!"

"Yes! I fought all of them! Jon was nearly killed by one of them and I used his sword to save him! Valyrian steel is a way of ending the White Walkers, that and dragonglass, something that's _on_ Dragonstone! If we take our armies back there as soon as possible, we can get as much stone as we need to fight the dead. But we need to reclaim Slaver's Bay first. They move slowly, but when they hit, they are powerful…we just need to be on our guard." Barristan still looked skeptical. "Barristan, please…I've never lied to you. Why would _now_ be the best time to start?"

"You have a point," he mutters before glancing at Jon. "But what the hell happened to her? How is she…alive? That looks like a horrible gash."

"I…well, I had some help. Drogon appeared," Jon explains.

Barristan's brow raises. "He…he did?"

Daenerys smiles at his surprised expression. "He did. He's been by our side since that day and stayed up near the Wall since we've come back here, sometimes out in the forest to hunt…it's like he sensed that we were in need of help. I was bleeding out and Jon needed to get me somewhere, so he took me on Drogon and we flew off. My dragon _trusted_ him. That means something, Barristan. More than anyone he's ever met besides me."

Barristan was quiet, going to take a seat once more. Daenerys does the same, taking her seat next to Jon. She continues to speak.

"We were in a cabin for a fortnight," Daenerys explains softly. "I was injured and dying. He saved me. Kept me warm. Made sure I was safe until I awoke. And then when we were ready to go back, we…Drogon laid eggs. Real dragon eggs. And…and they hatched."

"Wait, wait…so there are _real_ baby dragons here?" Sansa asks in shock. "H…how?"

"We…had some issues." Jon glances at the ground and bites his lip. "I realized that after a while, there was nothing left for me here. I don't know where my other…family is." He catches him slip-up just in time. "I didn't know if my men would trust me. So I decided to leave with Dany to go to Meereen. To find the men that we needed to take on the dead."

"Ah," Barristan mutters. "And I suppose that did not go over well, did it?"

"No…it didn't. That and…we brought in wildlings." Barristan's brow raises almost into his practically non-existent hairline. "I didn't bring them in just because. I brought them in because we all need to work together to fight the dead, enemies, and allies alike because, in the end, that's all that matters. Not some stupid throne down south or anything like that. We need people on our side. That's it. And the wildlings were an excellent choice to do so."

Barristan was quiet for a moment. "While I admire your honorable sense of duty, again, I'm sure that didn't go over well with your brothers." Jon slowly shakes his head. "Sometimes we have to choose between what is right and what is easy. You chose correctly. That's what I would have done if I was in your shoes. Don't feel bad about that."

"Oh trust me, I bloody don't," Jon states bluntly. "I couldn't give two shits about what they think about me."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"They killed me."

He says it quickly, without care. The world almost didn't mean the same anymore. Sansa and Barristan stare at him with equal looks of confusion. "They…what?" Sansa asks, her brow furrowed. "I…that's not possible. How are you alive?"

"It's very possible. I have the scars to prove it." Jon glances at the fire. "For a while I was dead. And for a bit, I could sort of…see the world through Ghost's eyes. It was strange…the whole experience. But Dany…actually brought me back. Well, through her idea. She placed me on a pyre, gave the dragon eggs, and lit it on fire for the red priestess. The next morning I awoke with three baby dragons."

"But…but only a Targaryen could ever survive fire. A true dragon."

He was silent. Barristan looks between him and Dany and then suddenly stands, shaking his head.

"How?!"

"Barristan, breathe," Dany says softly to him. "If you let the man speak for a second he'll explain."

Barristan stares at her. "How are you-"

"Calm down. That is an order." Her tone left no room for argument. And it seemed Barristan received the message as he sat down a moment later, brooding, before turning to Jon with a horribly confused look on his face.

"What is going on? You were born a bastard."

"And yet, I wasn't." He could see Sansa looked positively confused. "You know that Ned came home with me, correct?" Sansa nods to that. "Well, it turns out that he lied about me being his son all those years. Apparently, it was just to protect me."

"Protect you?" Sansa whispers. "From what?"

"From Robert Baratheon and his petty crown." Jon stands, pacing lightly, heading towards the warmth of the fire. He feels it beat against his face for a moment, reminding himself that soon they would be out of this cold tundra before he turns back to Barristan and Sansa. "I am the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. They married in secret. And had me."

Barristan stands almost instantly.

"If you wish to see the documents, I can show you everything on my desk over there." He points towards his desk. "Or I can show you my dragons which – Dany, can you open the door?" She nods and heads over to the closet. As soon as the door opens, three dragons fly out, landing on the broken bed. Sansa gawks at them. "Or you can see this." He pulls out Blackfyre from its sheath, and Barristan stares at the weapon in shock.

His eyes were blinking at a rapid pace, looking from the sword to the curious dragons back to Jon. For a moment, he stares, and then he approaches him. Jon stills for a second, letting him look. He knew this would happen. That someone would question him. That Barristan might beat him for what's happened.

But instead, he nods his head slowly. "Now…now that you say it, you look like him." Jon's brow furrows. "Don't get me wrong, you have many of your mother's features…but there's something about your face. Rhaegar was the Silver Prince…a man who was kind to the ones he loved but horrible to his enemies. I can see that in the way you talk about the traitors…wherever they may be right now. Dead, I presume?"

Jon nods lightly.

"About right." Barristan shakes his head before practically collapsing against the edge of the desk, holding onto it to keep him upright. "Seven hells…I knew it. I fucking knew it."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "Wait, so…you believe him?"

"I mean, I'm going to look at the diaries and the documents and anything he has just to see, but the fact that those little dragons are over there and he has fucking Blackfyre is enough proof I think for me." He shakes his head and brings his arms across his chest. "I'm just…" He looks to the floor. Jon's brow furrows.

"Ar…are you alright, Barristan?"

The older man looks up, and Jon notices that there are tears in his eyes. "I adored Rhaegar. I believe he would have been the best king that this land has seen. But I was sworn to protect whoever was on the throne. And I betrayed him after his death…I always knew that he loved her. He loved his Lady Lyanna, and thousands died for it. I knew he never raped her…the rebellion was built on a lie." He looks at Jon. "How are you dealing with this? What did you do when you…found this out? Was this before your death?"

"No, after. Before my death I wasn't leaving because of my name – only to find people to lead. But after, and when I found out about this, I…I reasonably had a bit of a breakdown but…after a while I started to…accept it. I lived my whole entire life wondering what I could be if I wasn't a bastard and now the gods have finally given me that chance. I died and came back to life. My vows are done…I'm not going to stay here with the people who watched my death happen…I'm going to go somewhere, where the people believe in me. I'm don't wasting my time with others who disagree. It's not worth it. Duty and honor aren't worth shit here."

Barristan bites his lip, nodding. "While I can…respectfully disagree lightly on the last part, I do think you have the right to make that decision after what they did. I don't think I'd stick around either." He takes a seat now, sighing. "So…if you're coming with us to Meereen, then-"

"Wait. I'm sorry." Jon turns to Sansa, who had been shockingly quiet during all of this. "Do you have anything to say? You've been silent."

"I…don't even know where to begin," she whispers, staring at the ground before she suddenly stands. It was so quick she nearly trips on her dress. "I…I need some air. I apologize." The words and actions were done so quickly that she was out the door before Jon could even tell her to stop.

Jon curses and turns to look at Dany, who stands. "It's a lot of information for her all at once…maybe give her a couple of hours. She'll come around." Jon sighs but nods his head, and she squeezes his hand, offering a gentle smile.

He glances over at Barristan, who had raised an eyebrow at her touch. Dany pulls away before turning to him.

"Ser Barristan, how about we go and get some tea? I think that would be lovely. Just for a little bit."

Barristan slowly nods. "Yes, I…I think I need it too." Jon watches quietly as Dany guides the old man out of the room, winking at him before closing the door behind her. Jon sighs and runs his hands through his hair, letting them rest on the back of his head. He should have been expecting this. Maybe he should have laid it on her slower.

' _She had to find out at some point,_ ' his mind mutters back to her. _'If only she could speak._ '

* * *

_Daenerys_

"You love him, don't you?"

She practically spits out the tea she had just made. Honestly, Daenerys had brought him down to the kitchens because she wanted to let the information process on him, and give Jon some time to speak to Sansa alone once more about everything she had heard. But she didn't expect to get called out as soon as the teacup touched her lips.

"B-Barristan, he's my-"

"Don't give me that shit, Daenerys. You're a Targaryen. It's not strange for you to want someone related to you. You don't need to lie to me." She glances at her cup, looking away from him. "You even loved him before you found out he was a Targaryen, didn't you?" She doesn't say anything. "Daenerys, have you…" His words trail off, but she knew what he meant.

And after a moment, she nods her head. She sees the back of his head hit the wall and his eyes close before he brings a hand up to pinch his nose.

"I can't believe this," he whispers.

"Barristan, you don't know him. You haven't seen what he's done," Daenerys instantly states back to him, lowering her up to the table. "I've met many men in my time as queen and none of them have impressed me as he has. Sure, he's handsome, but looks can only get you so far. He's strong. He's smart. He's cunning. He's calculated. He's _fiery._ He's everything that _I_ need in someone by my side."

"What happened to political alliances, huh? How are we going to get our ships now? Or anything else?" Barristan states back.

"We will get them one way or another," she states cooley, but even he could see the threat in her eye.

Barristan shakes his head and turns to her. "What, so now that you suddenly have control of your dragon, you're going to burn everything down? Become your father?" She takes a step back, the words stinging. He realizes what he said and sighs. "Daenerys…I don't want you to jump into something that you don't know. You've only known this man for a couple of months."

"I only knew you for an hour before I decided to let you protect me," she points out, her voice thin. He was silent. "What did I say last time I told you not to question my decisions?"

"…that I'd be serving another queen." Barristan was silent before looking at the ground. "I'm sorry, Daenerys, it's just…so much to take in." He looks up at her. "I mean, when I left I only thought I would come back to a couple of scrapes and bruises and now I found out you were literally _stabbed_ and on your death bed because of these…White Walkers that I thought were old tales to scare children…and now I arrive here and find out there's another Targaryen that's Rhaegar's _son…_ that makes him a claimant to the throne. Doesn't that worry you?"

"No, because he's already said he supports me and what _I_ want to do. He doesn't want some throne," Daenerys whispers fiercely.

"I'm not talking about him wanting it. I'm talking about _other_ people wanting it, Daenerys." She glances away at his words. "When people begin to find out that there is a male heir to the throne, don't you think that many are going to want a man over a woman? That's just how it's gone, for years. And don't say you and Jon are going to 'handle' it because that just means you'll kill them, and no one wants a ruler like that."

She still doesn't say anything. Barristan runs a hand through his hair before walking over to her.

"Daenerys, does he make you happy?" Her head turns up at that and he nods once more. "Does he?"

She bites her lip before answering. "Happier than anyone's ever made me…I don't think I could ever leave without him, Barristan. I need him. And I never need _anyone._ He's…different. I don't know."

Barristan sighs and looks at the ground. "I wish that was all you needed, as long as you were happy then the rest of the world could forget about it…but that's not how it works." He looks back up and outside, his brow furrowed. "What if you combined your claims?"

Daenerys raises her own brow. "Both of them?"

"I mean _actually_ rule together." He looks down at her once more. "A Targaryen marriage was always one of the best ways to make it to the top – people will clamor for that and want that more than anything. They will try and take advantage of you. But if Jon is there- is that even his real name?" Daenerys shakes her head.

"Jaehaerys."

"Seven hells," Barristan mutters before turning to look at her again. "If _Jaehaerys_ is there, not only can he protect you when I am not there, he'll be able to use what he's learned here and aid us in taking the throne…I was only upset because I thought he had hurt you. I thought he was a good man before I left and when I saw that…I was worried. Forgive me."

Daenerys feels her shoulders drop. "I shouldn't have been so rash. You're only doing your job." She glances away. "I suppose I took it too far as well." She glances back up at him. "I've told him that we could marry, but he's always pushed it off because he thinks I'll need it for alliances. But…even if he hasn't said it, I really don't think he's going to allow anyone else to touch me."

Barristan's brow raises. "Ah…even Daario?" he quips. She snorts.

" _Especially_ Daario."

Barristan chuckles a bit before nodding his head. "Well…if there's anything, I can see the kindness within him." He looks back at her. "Rhaegar was the good dragon out of everyone, before you. I can see a lot of him in Jon, especially with the way he protects you…he was fierce about the people he loved. That's what you need in order to be a good ruler." He shakes his head again, almost letting out a laugh. "Gods, two Targaryens…how in the world did I get so lucky?"

Daenerys feels herself smile before taking his hand in hers. "Barristan, you are a worthy man. You've done nothing but try and protect me. I appreciate you for everything that you have done. However, there _is_ something you should know. Jon has trained me." She reaches into her cloak and pulls out Dark Sister. Barristan takes _several_ steps back. "And this is my-"

"I bloody know what the hell _that is!_ " Barristan gasps. "Where did you…how did you-"

"Aemon. He's a master of his craft, I'll tell you that. He gave me all the answers I could ever need and more." She puts Dark Sister back in its sheath and turns to him. "I'm not the same girl that I was a couple of months ago. Jon has _truly_ changed me. This _castle_ in general has changed me. Cersei Lannister is no longer the biggest threat. The dead are. If we are to ever survive this…we all must work together. Every single last one of us." She looks away, grabbing onto her tea once more. "I just might be able to knock you down now," she muses.

Barristan snorts but shakes his head. "I doubt it but you can try." He chuckles a bit in disbelief. "Daenerys Targaryen, the swordmaster…seven hells. Jon really has done some damage." She raises an eyebrow. " _Good_ damage, I mean. It's important that you learn how to defend yourself. I wanted to teach you how to use a sword but…life just happened. Is that why you…got cut up your first day?"

"I might have pissed off a brother or two."

"Good gods." He was snickering now. "Yeah, I was worried a bit about that…but the good thing is that you're alive right now. And that's all that matters. As much as I want to beat the man who did it - he's dead now, isn't he?" Daenerys nods a second later. "Of course he is. He really holds nothing back...good for him." Daenerys smiles at his words before a thought comes into her head.

"Ser Barristan…who was the woman and man that was with Lady Sansa?"

"Ah…Brienne of Tarth and her squire, Podrick Payne. Well, she doesn't _like_ to call him a squire but he practically is one anyway." He takes his cup again, taking a sip before speaking once more. "She originally escaped with Theon Greyjoy, but he left us along the way to return back to the Iron Islands and make up for what he did…or at least try to. Have you heard of…everything he's done?" She nods quietly. "Jon's told you, huh?" Again, she nods. "Yeah… a big reason he didn't want to come back. Jon probably would have had his head. Especially the way he is now."

"So…he just left to go home?"

"Just like that. He said his sister tried to save him at one point but he was so far gone that he could barely look at her. It was pointless." He turns back to her again. "Brienne of Tarth was someone who was actually sworn to protect the Stark girls by her mother, years ago. When…Catelyn was trying to get the support of Renly Baratheon for her son's army." Daenerys' brow raises.

"You were working with someone who was treacherous against his brother's claim?" she asks lightly. "He went up against Stannis – out of _everyone_ in that family he was the biggest threat on the fight to the crown here. I thought you didn't do that?"

" _Usually,_ I wouldn't. Yes, I can recognize that Renly was a kind man, especially since he was kind to her when no one else was. A woman knight has never been taken seriously and probably won't be for some time…but at the end of the day, he was treacherous against his brother's claim, all because he thought he would have a chance at it. But…Brienne is an excellent fighter, and not only that, she had an easy way into the castle, a signal of when Sansa lit a candle, she was safe to be rescued. And it's what we did. Brienne and Podrick…went off to kill Stannis when he got word of their army being demolished. I decided to save her."

"Wow," Daenerys mutters. "That's a lot for one day."

Barristan sighs and nods. "It was. But we got it done. She was alive and so were we. And that was all we were trying to achieve – coming out with our own heads. Podrick was actually a _servant_ for Tyrion Lannister before he was passed onto Brienne. He's seen a lot. Good kid. Horrible with a sword." Daenerys chuckles lightly and nods. "Oh, that reminds me."

He pulls out what seemed to be a piece of parchment from his side, before handing it to her. Her eyes quickly read over the letter but Barristan speaks while she does so.

"While we were staying at another inn, it seems that Greyworm has finally picked up where we are and he wanted to tell us what was happening in Meereen. The Unsullied have been able to keep the Sons of Harpy under control for the time being, but only under occupation. They want to drive them out. The former slave masters are constantly threatening a battle against the city. Missandei is alive." Daenerys lets out a sigh of relief. She had been terrified that one of her closest friends had been killed the day. "Everyone you know is okay. But…there are some knots in the plan."

As she turns the letter to read, her eyes widen. " _What?"_

"Ah, you've gotten to it too. That's right. Jorah has returned with Tyrion Lannister, of all people." Her mouth was wide open and she nearly drops the letter before turning to look at him in shock. "I know. I didn't expect it either. He wanted to offer the imp as a gift to you. Tyrion isn't in the right place with his family right now since they think he killed Joffrey. He thinks the imp might be of use to you because apparently, he despises his sister."

"If Jorah thinks this will be what lets him back into Meereen-"

"I know, my queen. I know. Breathe." She could feel her own anger building, but at his words, she does, glancing back at the floor as her hands gripped the edge of the table tightly. "It's a strange turn of events that have happened. I believe that this will be the best time for us to leave and go back to Meereen. If Jon is going to be coming with us, then we should leave tomorrow, as soon as possible. We must make sure that this isn't some trick, and that we can secure your rule over the cities before we come here."

Daenerys lets out a long exhale of air, letting his words sink in. "I'll let Jon know as soon as he's finished speaking with Sansa."

The two of them were quiet for a moment. Barristan looks down at her with a raised brow. "So…more dragons? Any names yet?"

She chuckles a bit, glad for the change. "No. No idea, really. But…we'll get there."

"He's going to have to learn High Valyrian, you know."

She laughs a bit, remembering the night before. "Oh trust me, I do."

* * *

_Jon_

He waits for fifteen minutes before he decides to go out and find her.

It was a small castle, so looking for her wasn't impossible. He found her on a bridge that overlooked the courtyard, leaning against the banister, her brow furrowed. He quietly approached her, and when she hears his footsteps, she turns her head up, and instantly a look of sadness comes across her face.

"Hi," she mutters before turning away.

"Are you…alright?" he asks her slowly.

Sansa glances at the ground before sighing. "I…just needed to process everything." She glances back up at him. "I feel horrible. Absolutely horrible." She turns her eyes away as she goes to look at the snow once more. "For years I treated you like absolute _shit_ and now I find out you're not only _not_ my half-brother, but my cousin and the son of Rhaegar fucking Targaryen. I mean…how does someone ever react to that? Even begin to apologize? I…I don't know."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for, Sansa," Jon says softly, coming to her side. "You had no idea – _I_ had no idea. The only person to blame is father for keeping it a secret from me for years."

"I can agree with that but I…it's the principal, Jon." She looks back at him and he could see tears in her eyes. "I…I'm a horrible person. My gods." She shakes her head, her gaze turning back to the ground. "It shouldn't matter who you are. No matter if you were my cousin or half-brother or even a bloody servant in the middle of the hallway. I always treated people so… _horribly._ All because sometimes, things didn't go my way, or because I was _taught_ to hate someone…particularly, you. And I…I just listened. Blindly. I'm just…I'm… _fuck._ "

Jon reaches over and wraps an arm around her shoulder, seeing her begin to cry. "Sansa, look at me." His voice was quiet, soothing, trying to get her to stop crying. He had never seen Sansa cry in all the years they had grown up together. Angry and annoyed, yes, but never cried. It was a strange sight to see.

She swallows and turns to look at him, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"What happened in the past doesn't matter now. I'm not the same man I was years ago. I highly doubt you are now. Yes, we know the truth and it's something that shocked both of us. All of us, really. But what _does_ matter is that we don't let it divide us now. All we can do is learn from the past so we don't make the same mistakes in the future."

Sansa was quiet before nodding her head. The two of them were quiet for a moment before she smiles lightly. "So…what is your real name if it's not Jon?"

"Jaehaerys," Jon says easily.

"Hmm…suits you."

"It does, doesn't it?" Jon asks quietly, smiling a bit. He glances back at her. "I'm not making anyone who's close to me call me that but from now on, anyone new is calling me that. It…it feels better, you know?" He looks back out at the snow as well. "I think it would feel strange for Dany to call me that, though. She's always just called me Jon."

"Dany, huh?" Sansa asks. "Are you two…together?" Jon nods after a moment, waiting for the response. "Well…she seems nice."

Jon sighs quietly. "I knew you'd be _less_ than enthused."

"Oh no, Jon I couldn't care less about your relation to her if that's what you're alluding to." Jon's brow raises at her surprise. "I mean, I've done my studies as well when it comes to the noble houses of Westeros. I know that with Targaryen's that's _quite_ normal. It's happened all over the country." She leans against the wall. "And I have no qualms against her. She's the reason I'm here…you only agreed on the condition."

Jon sighs. "If I wasn't so stuck in my ways I would have left to get you – I was daft. It took me getting killed to understand that. I wanted to come but-"

"Didn't you just say to not focus on the past?" she asks him quietly. And when she states that, he closes his mouth, stopping the rant that was bound to come out. "And it's not that which draws hesitation…again, without her command, Barristan wouldn't have come to save me. All that I have is thanks to her. But I…I worry about the state of Winterfell, Jon."

She turns her full body to him, worries evident in her gaze.

"The Bolton's can't stay in Winterfell. They have absolutely no right to be there. It is the _Stark's_ home, and I _know_ that you probably hold nothing but resentment towards that castle but I…I _can't_ let him win, Jon. I can't. I thought that…that maybe if I came here you might want to…I don't know, Jon. I thought we could take it back from them. But then you said we were traveling to Meereen and now I…I don't know what to think. I feel like they've already won."

Jon could sense her dissatisfaction in her gaze. He didn't know where to start. "You're right." She looks back at him in surprise. "I don't feel a need to get Winterfell. I know it was my home for years, but I have a new home now in Dany. She makes me feel like I'm…worth more than anything. Even when she didn't know who I was. I can't let that go." He walks over to where she stands. "But…I refuse to let that snot-man of a bastard win."

Sansa instantly stands up straight. "So you'll…you'll go against them?"

"Wrong." He glances out towards the gates. " _We'll_ go against them." He looks over to her. "I don't know where Arya is. Where Bran and Rickon are. All I _do_ know is that Ramsey _knows_ you are here. He knows and yet he hasn't come yet. Why? Because he knows with you, he has leverage. He has the hold of the North. And if he comes here to try and face me, he knows he'll lose in hand-to-hand combat. I'll destroy him."

"Then why couldn't he just burn down Castle Black?"

"Burn down Castle Black? That would be political suicide. He would end up killing any chance he had of cementing his hold in the North. The Starks always had ties to the Wall, as do many other noble houses. It would be stupid of him to do so. He's biding his time because he knows that sooner or later, we will go against him. We will fight him. But we can't do it with the men we have here." He looks to her. "We can either travel the North and try to find the support of men, some of which have betrayed the Starks, or we can use Dany, who has already agreed to offer me all the men that we could possibly need."

Sansa's brow raises. "She's…she's really done that? Just like that?"

"Well not at first. Trust had to be built. But she trusts my judgment and she backs me up. If I say I need men brought here, they will fight for your cause. And, if we're lucky, we can have some men here as well fight for us." Jon leans back on the banister. "However, we can't use all of her men. She has her own issues currently happening in Meereen that we have to deal with and she is going to need her soldiers for that. But, if you come there and state your case, she will gladly lend you the men to lead. And if I must, I will return and fight for Winterfell. But not without condition. The world is not bought without condition."

He turns to face her.

"Sansa, I will not become a Lord of Winterfell, or be named 'King of the North' or whatever it is that Robb went through. I refuse to take on a position at a place where I was lied to my whole life. However, that is the Stark's home. _Your_ home. Without Robb here or the other men around, you are the best fit to lead. But a leader must learn – _don't_ interrupt me," he quickly states when she opens her mouth. "Shadowing Cersei and Littlefinger does not count as _learning._ They are two of the most despised people in all the lands...I want you to shadow Dany."

There was a mix of emotions that cross her face. He couldn't quite tell which one was dominant.

"I can see in your eyes that you want Winterfell," he continues. "You want to take it back from the bastard and make sure he pays for it. But I'm _not_ going to fight for this – for _you_ – without you putting in the work as well. I'm not going to fight this fight for someone that knows nothing about military advancement, gaining allies, developing infrastructure – the whole nine yards. Once I see that you're able to lead, I'll bring her men and the ones here North. Ramsey won't attack as long as you are with me if he's smart. You'll come with us to Meereen, stay until our debts there are done, and we will settle this there. That's my final offer."

Sansa was silent for a good minute, looking at him and then back at the ground. She bites her lip and sighs. "I know…I know I need to learn. I know that there's so much more I should discover and see…I just don't want to be making a mistake leaving here. I'm terrified that he might… _do_ something here while we are gone."

"Ramsey will hold no men here while we are gone. If you're not here, he has no reason."

"But what _if,_ Jon? He's sadistic for sure, but he's also cunning in a way no one can expect him."

"I highly doubt that," Jon responds, crossing his arms against his shoulders.

"He could come here and steal your men from you."

"Most men that would betray the Watch have either been killed by me or would be killed by Edd and the other wildlings here. Next."

"What about taking the wildlings?" Jon gives her a pointed look and she rolls her eyes. "Alright, stupid idea. What…what if he grabs the Vale? The Bolton's already have the Karstarks. He could take more. He's good with his words."

Jon raises his brow. "Didn't you stay at the Vale for a time? I don't think Lysa Arryn would be so willing to hand over her men – wait, it's not her. It's Robin. And I'm sure he probably wouldn't be willing to do so. And isn't…Littlefinger there? Or part of there? As cunning as that cunt is, he's on your side. He won't let Ramsey take them. He could probably rally them for us…anything else?"

Sansa was quiet, trying to say something, but nothing comes out. After a moment, she sighs. "You've really thought about all of this, haven't you?"

"I've been doing nothing but thinking and planning since I've awoken...it's done me some good."

The young woman was quiet, her eyes watching the snow, but he could see her mind was moving a million paces per minute. After some time, she exhales slowly before turning to him. "If the houses that are loyal to the Starks find out that one of the last known Starks have left Westeros…they might not be happy to hear. They might convert over."

"Who says they have to know?" Jon gestures towards the gate. "Those folks out here don't know a goddamn thing that happens in here. If Ramsey _were_ to come, we can have Edd say that we've left and gone somewhere else. He'll send men looking for us. Nobody needs to know you are in Meereen, learning how to lead, and gaining the men that you need."

She still looked worried. Jon sighs and comes forward, before gently placing her hands on her shoulders. Sansa looks up at him, her gaze filled with conflict.

"Be honest with me – this isn't about men or leaving or anything else. Inside you're just terrified that he's going to catch you again." After a moment of silence, she nods, albeit uncomfortably. "Sansa, you do not need to fear him coming after you. I promise that if somehow, that sniveling, little piece of shit gets to you, gets past everything we've planned, somehow goes around all the men and the wildlings and the ones that are here, I will wring his neck within seconds and make sure that he suffers for every single thing he ever did to you. I'll cut him up and slice off every bit of him, starting with the piece he hurt you the most with. And once that's done, I'll make sure he's fed to my dragons. He will _never_ touch or harm you again. You have my word. And I never break it."

Sansa bites her lip and nods, before embracing him tightly. Jon holds her close, rubbing her back as she lets her head rest on his shoulder. Despite all, despite what they had gone through, she was _still_ family, someone who had been harmed and bruised so much that she deserved this. And he would fight for her as long as he fought for him. That's what family was for.

She separates from him a moment later, wiping at the cold that had developed on her nose, sniffling. He sees a light smile come over her lips. "So…Meereen?" Sansa's head turns to look at him again. He noticed there was something else hidden in her blue eyes that he hadn't seen before – hope. "I heard it's warm there."

Jon smiles at her words. "So have I." He wraps an arm tightly around her. "I think we'll like it there a lot."

He guides her back inside slowly. "So…how are we going to get there anyway? What's going to happen?"

"We'll…figure everything out over the next day. As soon as possible. But soon. For now, how about we grab some food to eat?" he asks her gently, to which she nods. "I think you should formally meet my dragons. Maybe give them some meat."

Sansa raises her brow. "I don't think they're going to like me."

"They're babies, they like everyone."

"You can keep saying that and suddenly my finger will be bitten off."

Jon snorts. "Well, that's part of the fun." She stares at him at his words and he chuckles. "Come on." He guides her into his chambers gently, seeing the dragons perk their heads up once he enters. Sansa eyes them cautiously while he walks over to a small chest and removes a piece of meat from inside. He tears up some slices and hands it to her. "Go on, give it to one of them."

He throws two other slices to the silver and gold, who eat it quickly, catching them in the air. Sansa slowly approaches the dark one, who tilts his head at her as she approaches. She hesitantly holds out her hand. The dragon sniffs her fingers before it quickly snatches the meat from them, devouring it in seconds. Sansa watches with a now-curious smile, before letting out a huff of a laugh.

"I suppose dragons aren't all that bad," she muses.

Jon smiles a bit from where he stood, for he knew that wasn't about just _his_ dragons, but he and Daenerys. Now all that was left was planning on what to do next.

He hears the door open and he looks to see Dany step in quietly. She glances over at Sansa and her brow raises at Sansa watching the dragons eat. "It went well?" she whispers to Jon, to which he nods. "Good. Because we're going to need to leave soon."

Jon's brow furrows. "How soon?"

"Tomorrow." At his surprised expression, she sighs. "The Unsullied are keeping a hold on the city but we must head back as soon as we can. And there are…other things we must deal with there. If we stay any longer, I believe they might get overtaken."

Jon bites his lip but nods. "Alright…then we will leave tomorrow. So much for a peaceful night." He looks down at her and smiles a bit. "I finally figured out what to do with Sansa…you'll have a new shadow soon." Dany raises an eyebrow at that. "Just…trust me on this, okay? I think you two might get along nicely."

Daenerys reaches down and squeezes his hand. "I do trust you, so if you say so."

"He's quite cute!" The voice interrupts them, and the two turn their heads to see Sansa looking at them, almost sheepishly. "The dark one, I mean…he's cute. I like him. I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation." Jon snorts and nods his head.

"Don't apologize. Better for you to like the dragons than being repulsed by them."

Sansa smiles a bit and turns back to the dragons, watching them again as they tore apart another slice of meat. "Well…good then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told ya'll she's not going to be season eight Sansa because fuck that season eight shit she would want her family over anything else I mean come on good lord. 
> 
> I also need help naming the dragons! If any of you have some good ideas for dragon names, please let me know! I would love to hear them pretty please with sugar on top! For a reminder they are silver, golden and dark (almost an indigo color) so if you guys have any names pleaseeee help me haha the golden one is bonded to Dany, but the dark and the silver are bonded to Jon. 
> 
> Please leave a comment if you can and let me know what you thought or think, as your comments are the reason I get up and write these chapters for you, and keep pushing them out. You guys have been so unbelievably amazingly awesome and I can't believe I'm so lucky to have you as my readers, so thank you all for being so freaking great - you are all fantastically astonishing! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: Jon and Daenerys have an honest conversation with their companions on where and what to do next, Davos and the Red Woman catch up, and the monarchy comes up with some interesting solutions to some of their problems. Sea winds are not too far away.


	17. The Red Door and a Lemon Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Targaryen forces discuss their next moves east, and Jon and Daenerys have an important conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so freaking much for the amazing response on the last chapter! I was afraid that because they finally kissed and did the deed ya'll would leave me after but you're still here and I'm very thankful so thank you for being faithful haha :) I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

_Daenerys_

Worry filled her.

Once she had told Jon about what they had to do – and how quickly they had to turn things over in order for them to return to Meereen – she couldn't help but think what else might come in the days that follow. Would they be all returning together? Or would people try to stop them? Or would something else happen entirely new? She was constantly thinking about what the future may hold.

And what it may hold for Jon and she as well.

Gods, Barristan was right. She was a fool in love and she knew it. For so long she had avoided the interests of men because none of them had caught her eye. Most of them were either too brash or harsh or just plain idiotic and stupid to the point where she didn't even feel the need to talk to them. The only men she had met that she held respect for were the ones that were on her council and in her army. And that had been that, for a long time.

And then she met Jon. And the world turned upside down. And she would never be the same.

Not only was he brave but smart. He didn't think with his cock, he thought with his bloody head like he was supposed to. He took care of her and made sure she was safe. And when he was brought back, not only was she sure the dragon was awoken within him but something else entirely. Something fierce and predatorial, something strong. Something she _loved._

But a part of her was also terrified. With this newfound confidence that he had regarding his namesake and who he was, she knew he wanted to use it to its full advantage. Namely to gain the armies that they needed not only for the throne but for the dead, which was their top priority. It was always country over oneself – and in this case, the world.

Even so, she…she wanted him. She wanted every single last bit of him and she knew that if she lost him, even now, _she_ would be lost. But even though she had openly talked about so much in front of him, there was one thing that had evaded her – the witch's curse.

She had never believed she would have had to bring it up considering at first, she didn't think she'd be with him this way. But now they had been through hell and back, _slept_ together, and done so much more that she knew she _had_ to tell him. What if he did want children? If he did want to build a family? And she…she could never provide that?

' _Gods, what a waste I am,'_ she mutters inwardly. ' _A woman who can't even do what she's meant to do.'_

As soon as the thought leaves her head she pushes that down instantly. So what if she couldn't? She was the fucking dragon queen. She didn't need that…even if she wanted it with her whole heart. It just felt like another tragedy in her life now. One that seemed to happen over and over. She had never gotten pregnant when she was with Daario – there was no possible way she could ever be fertile after that.

Looking back at it, she didn't know what she had seen in Daario. Was he brash and bold? Yes. But compared to Jon, he was truly nothing. He was so arrogant about everything that he did as if he was the only person who could have sacked Meereen. Please, Jon could have done it quicker and in a much more efficient way if she had met him before.

"I've got it _bad,_ " she mutters to herself, running her hands through her hair. As she goes pull it back into a braid, deciding it was best for the meeting that would undoubtedly last the whole night, she feels hands suddenly appear around her waist. She quickly turns to find Jon's smiling face looking down at her and she instantly feels her worries melt away, if not for a moment.

"What are you talking to yourself about?" he murmurs to her softly.

She shrugs. "Just thinking out loud, is all. Nothing to be worried about."

He hmms and pulls away, guiding her towards the bed. She throws a look at him and he chuckles, shaking his head. "Don't worry. I'm not going to be trying anything. I just want to hold you. It's already been a long day." She smiles at his words but nods, coming to his side. He pulls her gently down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her body while hers go around his neck. "Ah…I wish we could stay like this."

Her brow furrows a bit. "How so?"

"Just you and I," he muses. "We wouldn't have to worry about titles or anything out there. We could get a little house and stay away from all the drama. Just…be happy." He looks up at her, bringing a hand to her cheek. "But sadly, I don't think either of us was born for that."

Daenerys looks at him wistfully and offers a small smile. "No…I don't think we were." She cups his own hand with hers. "But at least we have each other, right? And that's all that matters." Jon nods, leaning up and pressing his lips against hers in a sweet kiss. When he pulls away, she nods towards the door. "Is everything ready to go?"

Jon nods. "The dragons are asleep so we don't have to worry about that. I think Sansa feeding them effectively made them tire out – it's sweet, how quick she took them." Daenerys nods in agreement. She was happy the girl seemed to develop a liking for the children. "I collected Davos and Olly to come to the meeting as well as Podrick, Brienne, and Aemon. Sansa told me Brienne is a servant of House Stark apparently, and Podrick is with her…I feel like we're going to be bringing a lot more people to Meereen than we were expecting."

"See? We could never have a simple life," she chuckles a bit. She bites her lip before her arms wrap around his neck again. "Well, even so, at least I have a companion in you, now…Lord Targaryen."

Jon cringes a bit. "Gods, that sounds so strange."

"Does it? How about Jaehaerys Targaryen, Father of Dragons?" She sees a slight smile come over his lips when she says that. "Yes, you do like that, don't you, Jae?"

His brow raises at her name, and he turns to look at her in surprise. "Jae?"

She realizes her slip-up and her cheeks turn red. "I…I'm sorry, I just…Jaehaerys is a pretty long name and since your name is Jon I thought…I don't know-"

"No, no, I…I like it." There was a slight uptick of his lip, the tiniest little smile, one that seemed contemplative. "It's almost like two men in one. Jon and Jae…it almost reminds me of how I came to be now." He looks back up at her. "Jon is my Stark side while Jae is my Targaryen side…I suppose two sides of the same coin."

Daenerys smiles at his words, thankful that he didn't find her strange for saying that. "Well, Jae or Jon, it's two men that I adore. No matter what." Her hands cup his face and she leans down, pressing her lips against his gently. His arms tighten around her as he pulls her against his body, quickly molding together into one.

He pulls back a moment later, but not too far. "I also just like hearing it from those pretty lips," he mutters before kissing her again.

Her brow raises as his hands start to move up towards her waist, traveling along the lengths of her body. "Oh, you do?" she murmurs against his lips. "Maybe I should say it more often."

"Jon, Jae, whatever the fuck you say, I don't care. Either one gets me hard," he grunts while kissing her. She pulls back in surprise, laughing a bit.

" _Jon._ "

"What? I blame you for making me the way I am. Now get over here."

"Everyone is _waiting._ "

"And they can wait _longer._ "

He tries to pull her back to the bed but she shakes her head, pulling herself out. Jon slumps against the furs, looking at her with an annoyed expression but she only chuckles and pulls him up. "I know. After last night, _trust me,_ I know. I've wanted to jump you all day," she murmurs, straightening out his shirt. "But we have responsibilities. And I'm quite sure that if Barristan caught us fucking right now, he wouldn't be so happy." She leans up and kisses him softly. "After this meeting. I swear it."

Jon sighs but nods. "Alright…I despise being responsible." She laughs. As he takes her hand and they exit her chambers, his brow furrows before turning to look back at her face. "By the way, you said you had to tell me something before we were interrupted by Barristan and Sansa. What was it?"

Her fear starts to kick at the moment he asks, but she plays it off as dismissal, waving her hand. "It can wait, don't worry. We have a meeting to attend to. Come on." She grabs his hand gently in hers and guides him down the hall, pushing all thoughts of _that_ out – at least for now.

* * *

They arrived at the meeting room together, the first of many for them. And as soon as they stood, everyone did as well. When they sat, the rest of the room did so too. Daenerys watches the room quietly. Aemon was next to Davos, who was sitting near the end of the table. Sansa was near the middle with Brienne and Podrick behind her.

Olly was near the other end, and behind him, he could see that Sam and Gilly had paid a visit. Daenerys had a feeling it was because they needed to know what would happen next with them and what their plan of action would be regarding that. Hopefully, this could solve that.

"Thank you for all meeting so promptly," Daenerys begins lightly. "I didn't expect for us to be meeting so late into the night but duty calls…Barristan has brought me a letter that he received, saying that while Meereen is still holding out strong, there's a high chance that the Sons of Harpy will break through soon. While I already wanted to leave as soon as possible, we have to leave even sooner now, even if we are not ready. However, I do not think that what we were originally planning is going to work."

"What was the original plan?" Davos asks quietly.

"To travel together," Jon says simply. "With how many people…do plan to join us already, it's already a risk, but considering there seems to be more on our side as of now, traveling together seems to have the most risk. However, we need to travel as soon as possible…which is what puts us into this issue in the first place. First off, we need to establish _who_ is going to be coming." He stands and glances at the rest of the room. "Obviously Ser Barristan and Sansa will be accompanying us to Meereen as previously established, and of course it's my honor to announce we will be having Ser Davos join on as a hand to the Queen."

Barristan's brow raises. "This is news," he states simply before turning to look at Davos. "You couldn't have brought this up in pre-meeting conversation?"

Davos chuckles a bit. "It wasn't my place to say."

"Even so," Daenerys continues. "We believe having Ser Davos on our side will be a valuable addition considering not only does he know the country very well, he also knows the people and understands some of the best course of actions we should take – sort of how I took on _you,_ Ser Barristan." Barristan rolls his eyes but nods anyway, clearly accepting one of the _many_ other changes that had happened while he was gone. "Along with Ser Davos, we've also agreed to take on Olly as Jon's squire and away from his place after the bravery he showed during the mutiny."

Davos pats the boy on the back, who smiles at the recognition.

"However," Jon states. "There are three people here that we don't have a certain idea if they are going to come along or not." His gaze turns to Aemon. "We called you here because I actually want you to come with us, Aemon."

Aemon's brow raises in surprise at his words. Barristan's seem to as well. "You do?"

"Well, why wouldn't we want to keep the Targaryen's together?" Jon comments lightly. Her brow raises in surprise at his comment, before she reaches under the table and takes his hand gently. He hadn't told her about this. He knew that she wanted him with them. "You yourself said that a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. We'd feel horrible leaving you here. It's because of you I know who I am now."

Aemon sighs lightly from where he sits. The old man was quiet for a moment. "While I would love to come and witness you two grow as rulers, I have a duty here. I enjoyed the time that I had with my niece and you as well, Jaehaerys, but I can't leave her just like that."

"I had a duty too, Aemon. And I was killed for it," Jon comments. "The brothers here who betrayed me _know_ now who I am. Who _she_ is. You don't think that they're going to come for you next? We've already pissed them off enough. I don't want to risk seeing you get hurt either for our actions?"

"And? If I do, I've lived a long life."

Daenerys stands. "Uncle Aemon, please. We want you to come. You're the reason Jon and I are even up here right now." She walks over to him. He could hear her footsteps and looks up as she does. "You're locked away in this tundra, serving most men who would kill their Lord Commander all because of the decisions he has made to better help the world. Do you _really_ want to serve people like that? They have _tons_ of Maester's down in Oldtown that they can send back up here."

"And, uh," Sam pipes up from where he stood. "Jon – or Jaehaerys?" he tests out, seeing Jon chuckle a bit at his words. "Has agreed to send us to Oldtown for me to learn how to become a Maester because I've been shadowing you for so long. It would take some time for me to return but I believe it would work well."

Aemon sighs a bit. "Sam, because of Gilly and little Sam, I don't believe you would be brought back here. Honestly, you'd probably be given to a noble family of some sort. They never allow women in there, much less children."

"Even so," Daenerys continues. "Even if Sam didn't get sent back up here, there are plenty of Maester's that could fill that role. Do you want to live out the last of your days freezing away in the cold or in the sun basking up the heat with your family members beside you?"

"I wouldn't say I'd be doing a lot of basking," Aemon comments, a slight snicker to his lips.

"Even so…I don't want you to be here. And neither does Jon. You're more at risk being here. Please…the best gift you can give us is not these swords but your safety."

Aemon was quiet for a moment. Daenerys could see the wheels inside his head turning if that made any sense. Analyzing every possible opportunity that could happen inside that old head of his. After a moment, however, he glances back at her. "I…I suppose Maester's have left their position before." His head moves back towards the table. "When I was in my younger years, I served at the seat of my eldest brother, Daeron, until he passed away from the pox…so many deaths came from my family, so much so that I almost received the throne, but I refused…and it seemed from that, many more tragedies fell upon my family." He looks back to where Daenerys was. "While I have been here for most of my life, you're right. I originally went back to Dragonstone to remain with family…it's better if I did it now. And Jon is right as well…with me here, you are not safe. The Night's Watch isn't safe. And it has to be protected."

Daenerys feels herself smile at his words, glee running through her. "I'm so glad," she whispers before hugging her uncle tightly. He hugs her back, and it feels warm and right and good in all the places that it should. When she pulls back, however, his hand grips at her shoulder.

"But if you expect me to ride a dragon, you are bloody mad," he warns.

Daenerys chuckles before shaking her head. "No, I don't suppose we will be expecting that." She turns to look at Jon. "But with him officially coming…does that make this harder."

"A bit," he adds on. "But not by much." He stands and looks over at Brienne, who sat next calmly to Podrick. "Brienne of Tarth. Sansa has told me much about you. Would you care to tell me about yourself?"

Brienne looks to him and stands. "Well…your grace," she begins, her words a bit clumsy but Daenerys could see the intent was there. "My namesake is from Tarth, and I was the only child from Selwyn Tarth…I grew up not looking like other girls for a reason. I was born to fight. To serve. And to get there was…impossibly hard. I still face scrutiny to this day but I fight through it because I made a personal oath to Catelyn Stark as her sworn sword, and that carries onto her daughters. And I've tried everything to make sure that Lady Stark here stays alive – of course with Ser Barristan's help."

Jon hmms quietly. "Well…I can definitely see that you were meant to be a warrior. You're _quite_ tall – probably more muscular than any man I've ever met," he comments lightly. "And that's a good thing. However…there are a few things I need to talk about." He stands once more, coming over to her. Although the woman towered over him, Daenerys could see Jon showed no fear or intrigue. Just curiosity. "You _do_ know about my relationship with Sansa's mother, correct?"

That seems to get Brienne's attention. "I do not know…the full story, but Sansa has told me a bit. I understand that you might have some…regards to me considering I was loyal to her, but I can reassure you that I knew of nothing of what she had done. I only knew of the woman who saved me from the betrayers of Renly, and how his brother used his little red woman to do his bidding…shadow magic. She saved me that night before I could do something stupid. In return, I swore myself to her. It was the only right thing to do."

"So you're a woman of honor?" Jon asks her, and she nods. "Then I suppose you expect to follow Sansa to Meereen, then?"

"…that is up to Lady Stark's command. Earlier on in our meetings, she denied me to help her at all. I let her be, although not without some confrontation. But it was what she wanted. If she wants me to come, I will come. If she wants me to stay, I will stay. I serve her."

Jon nods quietly. "Well, while I _do_ appreciate your loyalty to my sister, that is something we will…discuss in a moment." He leans against the high table again, and Daenerys watches with great interest. Gods, whatever death had done to him, it had done something _good._ Not only was he much more confident in the way he spoke, but he stood with such a vigor that howled ' _power._ ' He showed no weakness. Only to her. And _gods,_ did she love it. "I wanted to ask you…Sansa mentioned something about you seeing my other cousin. Tell me, what is this? Is she alive?"

He sees almost a ghost of a laugh escape her. "Lady Arya…was something. When I found her, she was practicing with a small sword. A lady in training."

"Needle," Jon mumbles before he nods at her once more. "Go on."

"I tried to bring her under my cloak and save her from whatever…beast of a man she was with. The Hound, I think Sansa called him. But she refused once she saw the sword that I bear." Daenerys watches as she removed a sword from its sheath, and her eyes widen a bit, impressed. It was Valyrian steel. "This is Oathkeeper…it's a sword that was made by Jaime Lannister from…" Her words trail off.

"From my uncle's blade," Jon finishes. "Sansa's father," he adds on. Brienne nods solemnly, placing the sword back in its sheath.

"While I don't agree with how it was made or how it was obtained, Jaime offered it to me as a gift…the two of us had gone through a lot. I watched him lose a hand because he protected me…he's not the same that he was years ago when he visited Winterfell…that is why I took the sword. But I am not loyal to the Lannister's. I'm loyal to Lady Sansa and Arya, but she assumed differently. And so did the Hound. He kept saying nowhere was safe for her…we got into a fight. I beat him by pushing him off a cliff…but I lost sight of Arya due to _him._ " Her eyes snap at Podrick, who sinks into his seat. "He was supposed to be watching her but got caught up in the battle. Even so, she slipped away before I could get my own eyes on her."

Jon nods quietly, clearly taking in everything she had to say. "Then if Podrick was the main reason you lost her, why didn't you kick him to the side?"

"You ask me the wrong questions, my lord. I have no idea. I've told this man so many times that I am not a knight or a lord/lady, so I don't deserve a squire. But he insists anyway. At this point, it's almost become a running joke."

"Because I believe in her." The voice surprises Daenerys, and they turn their heads to see Podrick speak up. "I've seen horrible people in that castle. I think that Brienne was one of the few who ever walked in there that had good intentions. All she wants to do is serve a good lord or lady that she believed in, and now she believes that the good ones are dead and the rest are monsters. She's worth something more than a monster."

Jon looks from the boy to her. "It seems you have a fan, Brienne." The woman doesn't say anything, but from the look in her eye, she did seem grateful for the backup he had given her. "But what of my sister? Do you know anything else about what might have happened to her?"

Brienne shakes her head. "Honestly, no. She thought that everywhere was unsafe for her. For all we know, she might have traveled across the world at this point. The Hound is gone to my knowledge…maybe alive but definitely not with her. But she was a feisty one…she'd be hard to take down."

Jon nods quietly, letting out a soft sigh before walking back towards the high table. "Well, Brienne, I have a compromise for you." He leans back against the wood. "Since I am going to be traveling to Meereen with my cousin, for her own protection, I am assuming you would like to come. But I can't have you coming just to protect Sansa. We can't be bringing dead weight. Even Sansa herself has agreed to shadow Daenerys so she can learn how to properly rule the North. But what Daenerys and I need you to do is swear that if something goes wrong while we are there, you will not just protect Sansa, you will protect _anyone_ who is in that pyramid. That includes the queen, or her hands, or her advisors, or even Aemon – you must be one of our best fighters if you intend to follow us to Meereen. Ser Barristan can even train you more if you wish. But that's the only way we can allow you to come."

Brienne nods her head once. "You have my word. As long as I can come along."

"And Podrick," Jon states, raising his brow at the boy who was silent. "I suppose if I'm having Olly come along to learn how to become a knight, it would be unfair of me not to bring you if you are constantly learning from Brienne – don't say you aren't a knight. You don't _need_ to be a knight to train people. Trust me, I've done it before. We need all the fighters we can get and if he wants to learn, let him learn."

Brienne had nothing to say and shut her mouth, before taking a small bow in his direction. "Thank you, my lord." The tall woman takes a seat next to Podrick, who was smiling almost impishly at her. She rolls her eyes and turns back to the high table once more, paying attention.

"Now," Daenerys starts as Jon takes a seat next to her once more. "Since we've finalized who is coming with us, we need to figure out the best way to approach this safely. As Jon said, we can't all travel together. We need to come up with a better plan. I don't want to risk letting those men hold the pyramid longer for more than they need to."

Davos sighs from where he sits. "With all due respect, your grace, no boat of any size is going to be able to make it to Meereen that quickly, whether we travel separately or together."

Daenerys bites her lip before looking to Jon. "What if we used our dragons?"

"You mean the _one_ dragon we can ride?" Jon suggests to her. "I don't know how long Drogon will be able to fly with us on his back. That far? That's a long distance for him to go."

"He's a dragon. He could fly for hours," Daenerys responds back. "If we took breaks occasionally to get there, we could make it."

"But what about the rest of them?" Jon retorts. "They all can't ride on him. And the new dragons for sure can't ride on him either – I'm not even sure they _know_ how to fly yet."

"I have a suggestion," came Sansa's quiet voice from the end of the high table. They turn to look at her and Daenerys could see the tiniest bit of redness appear on her cheeks when all eyes were on the young woman. But she clears her throat and sits up straight, trying not to let their gazes get to her. "Bravos isn't that far from the White Harbor sailing point. We could possibly be there within a week. Barristan, Brienne, and everyone else could aid in getting Aemon safely across the sea while you two fly off to deal with Meereen. You can handle the Sons of Harpy, figure out exactly what you need to do, and then afterward, you could fly back to Braavos and escort us to Meereen. Or…if you'd prefer, we could fly back on your other two dragons."

Daenerys was silent, taking in her words. It was a good idea – it would get Aemon to Essos without much hassle, and it would separate them from the real threat – she and Jon. The moment anyone found out there were together, they would come looking for them. It was better that way. However, one little thing still stood in her way.

"Viserion and Rhaegal don't have riders," Daenerys explains quietly. "I've only ever ridden Drogon. I don't know if they'll listen to me."

"You're the Mother of Dragons," Davos chuckles a bit. "I'm quite sure they would listen to you."

Daenerys sighs. "You don't know what went on in Meereen before I left, Ser Davos. I locked them away because I was too afraid. I let fear overrun my life…and I fear that the moment I let them be free, they might run away."

Sansa looks to her quietly before her eyes turn to Jon. "Well…Rhaegar was his father, right?" The two of them nod. "Maybe he might have a special connection with Rhaegal. You won't know until you try…we don't need much. And that way, Aemon won't have to ride a dragon the whole entire time that he is traveling, only from Braavos to Meereen, a warmer journey for the older man then flying across the Narrow Sea."

Daenerys nods slowly. "To be honest, it probably _would_ be better to travel my dragon…if we went by foot to Braavos, then we would _surely_ run into the Dothraki. And while I do hold a torch in my heart for them, I'd rather not throw all of you into that. They're…hard to grow an attachment to." She turns to look at Jon, rubbing her hands together. "Would you be willing to do that? Meet with Rhaegal?"

Jon raises an eyebrow at her and nods. "Of course I would. You've stolen one of my dragons. Might as well steal one of yours."

A smile escapes her and she chuckles, thinking of the golden beauty that had attached itself to her. She had stolen one of them, hadn't she? "Alright then…it's settled then." She turns to the group of people. "Jon and I will fly to Meereen and handle the issue of the Slavers while the rest of you will travel from White Harbor to Braavos. Oh, and Sansa?" The young redhead nods, looking down at a small map. "I want you to ride with us."

She drops the map, her eyes wide. " _What?!"_

"The whole entire point of you coming to Meereen with Jon and I was so that you can shadow me, correct? That _is_ what you agreed to, right?" The woman slowly nods her head. "Well, you can't do much shadowing from all the way across the world on a boat. It's better if you see it working in action – don't worry, Drogon doesn't bite…much." She visibly sees the girl swallow. Daenerys glances over at Jon and sees him struggling to hold in a laugh. "Is that alright, Lady Sansa? Or are we going to have to rethink our arrangement?"

"No, no," Sansa instantly states, although her nerves were still very much present in her tone. "I'll, uh…I will come. Just…promise me he won't…drop me."

Daenerys chuckles and nods. "I can promise you he won't drop you…at least at first." Her eyes practically widen to the size of saucers. "I only joke," Daenerys snickers a bit before walking over to where she sat. "You'll be perfectly safe as long as you're with us. I promise you that." Sansa was quiet, but she nods even so. Daenerys was thankful she was attempting to trust her judgment, and that meant progress was being made.

She turns to Jon and nods at him to continue. He stands. "Alright, then let's finalize these plans."

* * *

_Davos_

Traveling to Braavos – something he hadn't done in a bit of time.

The last time he had been in Braavos, it had been in support of Stannis and trying to gain the Iron Bank's favor. Now, here he was, supporting an entirely different ruler, not that long after Stannis' death. Did he feel bad? Not entirely…at least not at the end. When he met Stannis, he was a different man. That red woman…changed him.

But, Davos couldn't be entirely mad at her because she brought Jon back – at least most of him. He had seen the man make some dark decisions the last couple of days, but it seemed he had _most_ of his head on his shoulder. But, as the queen's hand – and most likely Jon's, if the two would just hurry it up and marry each other – he would do everything in his power to stop another red priestess from messing with their minds once more.

As he looked at the map, a part of him wondered if they would be able to convince the Iron Bank to support Daenerys' claim, but that same part also realized exactly how sure he had been back then that Stannis would take the throne. They would surely hold that against him. Maybe bringing them directly there would work better.

Another idea started to spring in his head as well, but before he could really analyze it, he heard a knock on the door. He glances up to see the red woman herself, Melisandre, step in through the doorframe. "My lady," he states politely, before looking down at the map once more.

"Ser Davos," she responds quietly. "I have heard from the others that you plan to be leaving tomorrow. Is that right?"

"Indeed it is," he states before turning to look at her. "Will you be staying here at Castle Black?"

"I will do as Jon Snow commands."

"He's not a Snow anymore. He's a Targaryen," Davos corrects. "And what, now you serve him?"

"The Targaryen's are the prince that was promised."

"Forgive me, my lady, but I thought that was Stannis," Davos comments, raising his brow. "And when in the world could it be two people?"

Melisandre looks away, glancing outside. "I saw a man come back from the dead and a woman ride in on a dragon and nearly burn down men for killing him. I've seen it within the flames…everything I saw before, truly…a lie. Those two…" She looks over at him. "They're meant to be together. And I will make sure that it's seen through."

She goes to walk away, but Davos stops, reaching out and taking her arm. "What happened down there?" he asks her.

"Do you mean in the forests? There was a battle. Stannis was defeated. Simple as that."

"And Shireen? What happened to the princess?"

"I saw what happened." The voice startles them both, and they turn their eyes to see Brienne walking forward with Barristan at her side. Podrick and Olly were off getting dinner together, considering the two squires were going to be training often together. "I saw Stannis' forces defeated in the field."

"Since we are meant to be sailing soon, I should properly introduce myself to you after these crazy hours," Davos says lightly.

"We've met before," Brienne states quietly. "I was Kingsguard to Renly Baratheon…before he was assassinated with blood magic." Davos watches her eyes flicker to Melisandre before turning back to him.

"That's in the past now," Davos states, trying to alleviate the conflict before it began.

"Yes, it's in the past, but it doesn't mean I forget. Or forgive. He admitted it, you know." Davos's brow furrows at her words and she clarifies. "Stannis. Just before I executed him. What he did. How he did it…it doesn't change anything."

Davos looks to Melisandre, who was quiet. "If you'll excuse me, I'll leave you three to whatever planning it is that you might do." The woman walks away without another word, leaving them alone. Davos lets out a low sigh and turns to where Brienne and Barristan stood.

"Sorry about that…she and I have a history."

"As I've been told," Barristan states before coming over to the edge of the map. "We were talking about some of the best ways to advance towards Westeros once the deal with Meereen is done. Daenerys has plenty of Unsullied but we are going to need more if we are up against the Lannister's men. With Jon here, we might be able to swing the North in our favor, but there are plenty of other houses that would gladly have her head on a spike to show to the Queen Mother."

Davos nods quietly. "I've been told. Well, I did have a couple of ideas, if we're changing the topic to that. One of which is probably the Tyrell's." He points to the Reach at the end of the Westeros map. Brienne's brow furrows.

"The Tyrell's are _married_ into the crown. What makes you think they-"

"Margaery Tyrell is currently locked up," Davos states lightly. "She was imprisoned for knowing about her brother's affairs and what he…usually turned towards when the night is at its darkest. Loras has been taken in as well for those same wants. The Tyrell's are not a very happy family right now. If we talk with Olenna Tyrell – their grandmother – and see if we can maybe find an alliance with them, I think it would work in our favor."

He aims to Dorne as well.

"Dorne is another area of interest we could look at. They hate the Lannister's. With a passion. Loathe them. I truly believe they would do anything to make sure that they are off the throne."

"But…the Dornish might not be so inclined to help a Targaryen after what Rhaegar did to Elia," Barristan explains.

"I know that…but neither Jon nor Daenerys are their family. They're two completely different individuals who work well together, and they want to bring peace back to the realms. I truly believe that their hate for the Lannister's will override their hate for the Targaryen's from the past."

The two warriors nod at the map, taking in his thoughts. "What about the East?" Barristan asks a moment later.

"The east is a bit of a reach," Davos admits. "I already know that they have plenty of men on her side regarding the Unsullied, along with the sellswords she was given, but you yourself said that we might need more. I believe we have two options. One of which is a stupid one, and one of which is a good one but expensive."

Barristan and Brienne share a look before nodding at him. "Go on."

"Dothraki." He turns to them. "I'm not saying we should do that instantly. _But,_ Daenerys does have a special bond with them from the past. They are great warriors on horseback and considering how every single fight is going to be on the ground, they could be an option. However, I know the crown, and they will use that against her, say how she's bringing savages to Westeros and is only going to make the place more unsafe, the whole speech that we're expecting, which is why it's _stupid,_ but it's still an idea. The second would be the Golden Company in Braavos. Expert sellswords and brilliant fighters, we could get _20,000_ of them to not only fight against the Lannister's but in the war against the dead. The only issue is that they are _highly_ expensive and I'm not sure how much coin you or the Queen has on hand. Trying to get the Iron Bank on your side would be imperative to that. Or…or we could swing the Targaryen direction."

Brienne raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, the Golden Company was founded by a Targaryen bastard – Bittersteel. They could say that because it is in a Targaryen name, it would be sworn to us just based on that. Something in that direction. The Targaryen name is powerful – you might as well use it while you can." Davos takes a step back from the board and lets out a sigh. "It's…a lot. And much to think about. I suppose our main goal right now is just to travel safely but…for now, we keep our wits ahead of ourselves and think about the future."

They nod, looking over the map. Barristan raises his brow at him. "For an Onion Knight, you're quite knowledgeable. Do you read?"

Davos smiles, memories passing by him. "I actually recently learned…Stannis' daughter taught me. It wasn't a skill that was deemed essential where I grew up." He looks to Brienne. "Are you _sure_ you didn't see any sign of her near the battlefield? Anything at all?"

Brienne solemnly shakes her head. "No, Ser Davos. If I had I would have tried to bring her back to safety as well."

Davos swallows but nods, looking back to the maps. "Well…not much we can do about it then." He sighs once more and turns his eyes back to the two warriors again. "Best to move on and trudge through this muck we are all about to be submerged in. Forgive me if you ever see me fight. Not quite the fighter." He raises his hand to show his cut-off fingers and the two of them chuckle.

"Don't worry, that's what we're here for," Ser Barristan comments before lightly patting him on the shoulder. "You shower us with your wisdom and we'll do the same with our swords."

"That sounds like a plan."

* * *

_Daenerys_

She had gone to get some dinner with Gilly, speaking with her one last time before they would leave tomorrow. It was sweet to see how much she had grown just in the time Daenerys had been here, and how protective she was of Little Sam. She hoped that no matter what happened while they were in the East, Sam and she stayed alive.

But, however, there was one thing that happened while she was gone, and when she walked into her chambers, she was shocked to see what it was.

While the dragons were all sleeping in the corner, their little heads topped on one another, her eyes were drawn to the floor. To the bed and the fireplace and the table and the desk and _everything._ Every square inch was _covered_ in blue and lavender petals from what seemed to be an icy blue stem. A fire was blazing in the fireplace, but candles were also lit along the edges. The curtains were closed, and the bed was made.

"What is all this…?" she asks, her voice trailing off as she looked around. She heard footsteps come from the privy and she turns her head to see Jon appear, undone from the clothing he had been wearing earlier, in just a tunic and trousers.

"Like it?" he asks her lightly, coming over to where she stood. "I thought the petals were a nice touch as well."

"Jon," she whispers before he turns her around and wraps his arms around her. "What is all this?"

He shrugs a bit, looking around. "When we were beyond the Wall, there was this…flower I saw, every day when you were unconscious." He turns back to her, letting a hand rest on her cheek, stroking her skin gently. "For each day that you were asleep, it wouldn't bloom. This little blue thing that was along the pathways of the trees. And as soon as you woke up, the next day it was as full as ever, blooming into the winter sun. The petals blue and a light lavender – one that reminded me of your eyes. Everywhere I looked. It was almost like the flower was made for you."

He gestures towards the windows and the doors.

"So, while we were all talking with everyone and trying to figure out exactly what we're doing, I decided to surprise my dragon." He leans down and kisses her tenderly, a soft peck that has her melting in his arms. "Was it well-received?" he murmurs once he pulls away.

"Gods, Jon," she chuckles, shaking her head. "I don't know what I did in this life or a past life to deserve you."

"I think you mean for me to deserve you," he whispers before pulling her in for a kiss once more. She moans against his lips as his hands move back down to her waist, holding her tightly to his body. He pulls her close until the backs of his knees hit the edge of the bed and he falls to the edge, pulling her onto his lap.

The two of them sit like that for a while, savoring each other's embrace, wrapped up in each other. Daenerys had never known this feeling in her life, the safety she felt in Jon's arms. For years she had made sure never to rely on anyone. Yes, to make sure that she had allies and people who could advise her, she always made sure to have, but if they all went away, she made sure she could at least survive on her own because that was how she was raised – survival of the fittest.

But now, all she felt was reliance. The feeling of companionship from Jon that she could have never gotten from whatever man she was set to marry in Meereen. Not even with Drogo. Everything just felt so…perfect. If she lost the crown, lost everything, and still had Jon, she would be perfectly content.

A moment later, he pulls away, looking up at her from where she sat on him. His eyes were filled with adoration and devotion, so much so that it almost overwhelmed her. "My gods, you are beautiful," he whispers, staring up at her. "I can't believe you are here. Do you know how beautiful you are?"

Daenerys smiles a bit. "Well, considering you said it about a million times last night I assume so."

"Well, I'll say it a million more times," he states, pulling her onto the bed, causing her to laugh. "I will say it until I can speak no more and my voice runs dry. 'Daenerys Targaryen is the most stunning woman to ever exist' will be my last words." Daenerys rolls her eyes, pulling him back onto the bed so he was beside her.

"Stop being a joker," she chuckles a bit before letting her hand rest against his cheek. "You're too kind to me."

"I'm not kind enough," he answers, before kissing her softly. She smiles against his lips as her hands wrap around his neck, pulling her as close as he could. After a moment, he pulls back but keeps her body close to him still. "Tell me what it is you want, Daenerys."

"I already told you last night."

"No. I want to hear the real answer," he whispers softly. "I want to hear everything you want. I want to know everything. Tell me…what is it that you want?"

The question was asked with so much soul and purpose that it sent tears to her eyes, the fact that his man cared so much about her and her wants, to keep pushing for them no matter what. It was so much and she loved it.

"I…I want to be happy," she whispers after a moment, looking up at him. "A part of me doesn't even…care about the throne or anything. I want it, yes, but…not as much as I want you. _Us._ " Her hand reaches down and grabs his, holding it close. "I…I want a home…I want to have the life I never got to have. I want to be able to stay in a room with the two of us and be together just like right now…without any interaction or the outside world looking in…as if we aren't two nobles but two lovers…happy to be alive."

She sees a smile come over his lips as soon as she says that. He brings his free hand up to stroke her cheek once more. "And what of the throne?" he asks softly.

Daenerys bites her lip and looks down, almost too afraid to see his reaction. "I…I want us to…combine our claims." She swallows, still not looking up. "Barristan suggested it…I'm quite sure the others would, too, but I…fuck, why is this so hard to say?" she asks herself before forcing her gaze to his once more. "I can't imagine my life without you, Jon. I picture and it only brings depression and sadness and longing. When I came here, I wasn't expecting to find another dragon…but instead, I'm coming back with not just three new ones, not just Drogon, but _you…_ the best thing that's ever happened to me. And at first, I agreed with you…I agreed because I knew that you were a bastard and the chances of us…doing that were so low, and I was unhappy but I relented. But now…there's _nothing_ stopping us. You and I, we're the last of them…we're _meant_ to do this together. We're meant to rule together. And if not…we're meant to just _be_ together. I don't want to marry anyone else…I want to marry you. And I'm sorry if you don't think the same."

She pulls away from him. The room feels cold despite the fire. She sits at the edge of the bed.

"There's…there's something I need to tell you. I wanted to tell you earlier, but we were interrupted and I…I refuse to not talk about it any longer. So please, let me speak." She takes a deep breath, looking to the ground. "When I was with Drogo, and he was about to die…I enlisted the help of a blood witch, someone who said she could save him…she said life had to be sacrificed in order to save his own, so we thought maybe a horse would do the trick. But then I…I went into labor with my first son and I…I lost him. She said _that_ was the life that paid for Drogo's, even though he turned into nothing but an awake vegetable." She glances back at the fire. Tears start to stroll down her face. "But she said that I was cursed now. That my womb would never quicken again, not until the sun rises in the west and sets in the east…when the seas go dry and the mountains blow in the wind like leaves. That was what she said to me. I…I can't bear a living child until that happens…I'm forever going to be heirless. You will never have children if you are with me."

Daenerys sniffles as she wipes away at her tears, trying to hold on to be strong, as much as every part of her didn't want to be.

"I couldn't just…pull you into this without telling you. I've been with men before you and they…they couldn't do anything about it. I fear it is the same. That it is true…all I wanted when I was younger was…was to give children the life I didn't have. The childhood I didn't have…I can barely remember my own. All I can picture is a red door in Braavos…with a lemon tree outside my window. I wanted to pray they had something more memorable than mine but I…I can't have that." She exhales slowly before glancing back at the ground once more. "If this changes anything…I'll understand."

Everything was silent. All she could hear was the crackling of the fire. And then, after a moment, she could feel the bed gently dip closer to her, and strong arms wrap around her from behind. A head rests on her shoulders.

"Dany, if you think this changes in any way how I feel about you, you're wrong."

The words surprise her, and she turns to look at him. He wipes away the tears on her cheeks. "It…it doesn't?"

"I grew up thinking I would never even have children, Dany," he says softly. "It was never something that was on my mind. Surely never something I looked for in a woman. When I met you…did I think about it? Yes. Would it be nice? Of course. But just because you can't have them doesn't mean I'm going to _leave you._ What kind of a man would I be if I did? I adore you for you, Dany. Not for some issue you might have going on inside of you. I care for what's in your heart and in your head, not in your womb."

The words stay with her, and she smiles at his sweet look.

"With regards to the throne…you're right." He turns her towards him and lets his hands rest against her hips. "The very idea of a man touching you here, or here, or there-" He accentuates each spot with a soft kiss to her skin. "Makes my blood boil so intensely that I'm surprised I haven't turned into a kettle."

She laughs at that, one that was quite welcome in her body. He smiles.

"So yes, I do think we should combine our claims," he says softly, pulling away from her. "But, uh…I want to ask properly." Her brow raises. "Not here at this bloody place…somewhere nicer. Meereen. I don't know. You don't deserve the bed of a former bed pisser to get proposed to on."

" _Bed-pisser?_ "

"It's a long story."

She snorts, shaking her head. "My gods," she snickers, not moving her gaze from him. He brings a hand up to her cheek once more.

"And…when we _do_ get that throne, I'll make sure you have everything you could want," he whispers softly. "And I'll paint the door of your chamber red, and have a lemon tree on your balcony, right there, so you can always be reminded of where you started, and the beautiful, powerful woman you are now. The woman that I want more than anything in this world."

Her tears start to flow again and she wraps her arms around Jon, hugging him tightly. He returns the embrace, feeling him bury his head in her neck. She had been so worried about everything, about telling him, but in the end, she shouldn't have. Because he was Jon – no, he was Jaehaerys Targaryen. A bloody man of his word. The man that she loved.

"You know," he murmurs as he pulls back a moment later. "I don't know how reliable that witch would be for information regarding that."

"Jon…"

"I'm seeing _that_ as a challenge that I must win."

She laughs. " _Jon!_ "

"What? We have three little baby dragons now. I think three little Targaryen's would even it out, huh?" He leans in and kisses her gently, and she sighs against his lips.

"I wish that was true," she whispers when he pulls away.

"And why can't it be?" he asks her, taking her hands in his. "Just because some witch said it was that way doesn't mean shit. So what, you didn't have a child when you were with some other men – honestly, I'm happy for that." She slaps his arm playfully. He shrugs it off, chuckling. "Maybe it was just meant for now, here…it doesn't mean we can't try. And try and try and try some more until _something_ happens. Because even if I won't leave you…that does sound nice to have little children running around the castle."

Daenerys smiles brightly at that, a wide grin that nearly split her cheeks. "It sounds lovely, doesn't it?"

He raises an eyebrow, gesturing to the bed. "So? You want to try?" he suggests.

The goofy grin on his face mixed with the determination in his gaze made it all too hard to resist. And with a roll of her eyes and a snicker to her lips, she pulls at his tunic. "Come here, my dragon."

"The challenge has been accepted, _witch_ ," he says smugly to the air. Daenerys rolls her eyes.

"Gods, don't say that," she quickly says, laughing it off before her lips land squarely on his, igniting another fire deep within themselves that very night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmfao I love writing these two I never want to stop haha
> 
> Just to let you know I'm officially starting my jobs in the next week so expect slower updates, but I'm still going to try and update this as weekly as possible - most likely near weekends when I have less work, so watch out for it then! 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments have always meant the absolute world to me and I love hearing what each and every one of you have to say and offer to me as part of the story. I value your opinion so much and I adore reading all your comments - you're all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join our little story, and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope have a great day! 
> 
> Next up: Jon and Daenerys travel east with their dragons. The others move towards White Harbor to sail to Braavos - however a letter arrives in Barristan's hands that could change the pathways of what they need to do.


	18. The Great Pyramid of Meereen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon, Dany, and Sansa fly to Meereen quickly. Ser Barristan receives an interesting note that must be brought up to the Targaryen's as soon as they arrive in Braavos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the amazing response on the last chapter. I really am so thankful so many of you have stuck it out with me and that you're enjoying this story as much as I am writing it, so thank you all <3 This is a bit of a shorter chapter and sort of filler but not every chapter can be action and planning packed - next chapter doh will be killer. Promise you. Gotta have the build up to make it pay off haha I hope you enjoy :)

_Jon_

Preparing to leave the Wall had never felt so strange but so good at the same time.

The first time Jon had left the Wall, it had been years ago with the wildlings. It really wasn't of his own accord at first, but over time he had learned to appreciate their way of life. Even found love with someone. But this time…it was a new different kind of feeling. Not only was he leaving _for good, but he was also_ leaving as a _prince -_ and probably a king at some point. As someone completely new. He was leaving with Daenerys, the woman he never thought he would have in his arms.

Good fucking gods, how did he get so lucky?

He found himself asking that a lot lately, just in general. He wondered what Robb would have thought of him now. Yeah…maybe they wouldn't have gotten along so well. Robb always hated the Targaryens for what they did to his grandfather and for other reasons Jon couldn't quite remember. He didn't know how the man would change if he found out Jon was one of them. And his name wasn't even _Jon._

It still felt strange to say Jaehaerys. Jon knew that he would have to get used to it as his formal name when people addressed him, but he knew deep down his name would always be Jon – or Jae, as long as Daenerys said it. If anyone else said it, it would feel strange.

Now, he was making sure that everything was set to go. He had spoken with the others, made sure that each person had packed a bag. Barristan would lead the rest of them with Brienne near the back to make sure that they got to White Harbor easily. When Jon had told the Night's Watch they were taking Aemon with them, some had been understandably upset, but he had said to send a raven to Oldtown and request a new one, just like that. At this point, Jon didn't quite care about the complexities of life at the Wall. He just wanted to make sure _his_ family stayed alive.

And it was better if Aemon was with them than anywhere else in this world.

He was also sending off his dragons with Barristan and the others, giving them strict instructions to feed them as much as possible so they didn't grow agitated during the trip, along with Ghost. At first, Jon had been conflicted about bringing his direwolf. They were going to be in a much hotter environment and he didn't know if Ghost, in general, would be comfortable there, but for Jon, it wasn't just that. Ghost _did_ represent the other half of him. As much as Jon had tried to embrace his Targaryen side – which he was _quite_ sure he had been doing a lot of lately – he was still half Stark. And that deserved to shine if not a bit. And Ghost was that example. He couldn't just leave one of his most loyal partners behind.

So, he decided to take him with the others, giving him the job of protecting the dragons. He had seen Ghost interact with them on multiple occasions, sniffing at their bed in the corner, chasing them around the room when they would try to fly. Sometimes the dragons would hiss at him and he would growl right back. Sometimes he had found them sleeping on top of Ghost's coat. It varied. But he knew one thing was for sure – he wouldn't harm them.

That was the only thing that was telling him to let them go off and enjoy the journey. And that he would see them soon.

As he finished packing a bag and hoisting it onto his shoulders, he guided the dragons into a small cage that they would be carried in. As soon as he closed it, the silver dragon peaked its head out, looking at him curiously. The other two screeched softly from inside the cage.

"I know, it's cramp in there," he says gently to them. "But we're going to make sure you stay hidden while you travel. Once you're on the boat, you'll be free to fly around and walk as much as you want. Ghost will protect you until then. Won't you, boy?" Jon turns his head to see Ghost tilt his own slightly. "Bloody better," he chuckles before turning back to the dragons. "You're going to be alright. And once we finally get everything settled, I'll give you three your names."

The silver-headed one calls out to him again before slipping its head back in the cage. Jon lets out a shaky sigh before taking a step back and then hears the door open. He looks inside to see Dany step in, and he feels himself smile. She had her hair all done up in her braids and had on a solid dress and trousers underneath to make riding easier for her. But in her sheath, Dark Sister sat, ready to be used.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks her lightly.

She nods, closing the door behind her. "I believe that Sansa is as well," she states softly before coming over to his side. Her eyes turn to where the cage was and he sees memories flock her vision, tales of years prior. "I remember that. When my dragons were young, for a time, they had to travel like that. We had no choice. They would have died in the Red Waste. Here if they're captured, they'll die too." She looks over at Ghost. "But you won't let that happen, will you, Ghost?"

The direwolf lets out a bark at her and she chuckles, before turning to look at him. Jon rolls his eyes. "Course he'll respond to you. The bloody animal has a crush on you, I swear."

Daenerys smiles sheepishly. "I think his owner has a bigger one."

Jon snickers a bit before wrapping an arm around her waist. "I believe you're right." He looks back to the cage and sighs. "I'm nervous, honestly," he admits, before looking back to her. "I'm terrified something is going to go wrong on this trip. I know I can trust Barristan, as well as Aemon, to try and keep these dragons alive. As well as Ghost. Brienne…maybe. I don't know her that well. Both Olly and Podrick are just squires and need as much training as possible but I…I don't know." He looks down at her. "Am I being too dramatic?"

Daenerys chuckles. "No. Trust me, you aren't." She takes his hands, leading him to one of the chairs to sit down in. "Let me tell you a story. When I first had my dragons and they were very young, they were stolen from me." His eyes widen in surprise. "While I was in Qarth. They decided that having the queen's dragons would give them unbelievable riches and decided to go against my back. I lost some of my dearest followers there…and I will never forgive Qarth for that. Ever. But, in that timeframe that I was looking for them, I was nervous as well, just as you are right now. I thought 'what if they killed them? What if they are selling them?' Everything you could possibly dream of, it was running through my head."

"Then what did you do?" Jon asks quietly.

"Well, I went on a hunt for them. They kept playing games with me until I finally did find them, in the House of the Undying…a horrible place filled with visions and…strange magic. But eventually, I did find them, chained up. I had no idea how to get them free, but I trusted them. Eventually, we did get out, killing the man who had taken them, but it was because I trusted their intuition and their strength, even at that age, to help me escape. You need to remember that while these _are_ your children, they are not normal babies. They are dragons. And they will fight tooth and nail to escape anything if they are taken. Barristan is a good man who will make sure they are delivered to us. And if not, he is surrounded by people who would do the job for you. As well as Ghost."

Jon sighs slightly, before glancing back at the cage. "You're right…it's the first time I've really been separated from them, but I shouldn't let it get to me that much. They'll be alright." He turns to look at her and smiles a bit. "Are you excited to return to Meereen?"

Daenerys rolls her eyes and slowly shakes her head. "To return to Missandei and my council? Yes. To return to the unrest that has been happening? Not quite." She glances back at him. "I'm terrified that the moment we arrive at Meereen there's going to be a war that I'm unaware of. And that fucking _Tyrion Lannister_ is there, and _Jorah_ …good gods." She runs a hand through her hair, being mindful of the braids. "I don't know how I'm going to approach this whole situation."

"Well…you'll have me by your side. I promise you that," he swears lightly. She smiles at him and takes his hand.

"I know, Jon." She leans up and presses her lips against his, letting it linger for a moment before she stands. "Come on. Dawn is approaching fast. The quicker we leave, the better."

Jon nods as well before grabbing Blackfyre, placing the sheath around his waist, grabbing the dragons, before heading off, Ghost trotting behind him.

* * *

Drogon was waiting for them, breathing slowly, ready to take flight. The rest of the travelers were gathered on horses and Aemon was in a carriage. Jon comes over and places the dragons next to Aemon, where he sat. Ghost hops up next to him. "You promise me you'll get to Braavos safely?" he asks the man.

Aemon chuckles. "It's out of my control but I will do everything I can."

Jon smiles a bit and pats the man on the back lightly. Before he moves away, he leans in close, whispering in his ear. "And thank you…for pushing me towards Dany." He glances over where Daenerys was gently talking to Sansa, who was staring at Drogon in fear. "I don't know what I would have done without her."

"Well, it took you two long enough," Aemon snickers a bit. "I swear, you two are both as stubborn as mules." Jon shakes his head and steps back, smiling.

"Even so, thank you." He turns to Barristan and Brienne, both of which had their swords at the ready. "You two are prepared for the journey ahead?"

Barristan nods. "We have the map planned out and ready, with the areas to avoid – specifically Winterfell."

Jon nods lightly. "Good. When you send a raven, be sure to only send it from White Harbor – Sansa has told me that Ramsey can intercept any raven. The last thing we need is him discovering that there is a group traveling with three baby dragons along the paths of the North."

"Prince Jaehaerys?" he hears from next to him. Jon turns his head to see Brienne glancing at where Sansa was. "Please swear to me that Lady Sansa will…be alright."

Jon sniggers at her words. "Scared of the dragon as well?" Brienne lets out a slight nod. "I promise, she'll be alright. I won't let her fall. You'll still be able to perform your duty when we arrive in Essos."

"Good…that's all that I ask," Brienne mutters.

Jon rolls his eyes and steps to the right again, seeing Davos talking lightly to Olly and Podrick. The moment he appears to them, the two boys turn their gazes to him. "You two going to be alright traveling?"

"With Brienne by our sides? The people who cross her path should be terrified," Podrick comments. Jon chuckles, glad that he could have so much faith in her. He knew it would take time for him to trust someone so easily again after what had happened, but it seemed Brienne was a good place to start.

He looks to Olly. "How about you, boy? Are you excited?"

"More than anything," Olly says with a smile. "Thank you…for doing this."

"You deserve it. Fuck this place, right?"

Olly raises his brow at the curse but when Jon nods at him to continue, an impish grin comes over his lips. "Fuck this place," he repeats.

Jon snickers. "Atta boy." He looks at Davos, who seemed to look at him disapprovingly. "Davos, I was _killed._ I'm sure you were younger than him when you said your first curse. Don't look at me like that."

Davos rolls his eyes. "Even so, we'll see you soon." He embraces the man tightly before pulling back. "You and that queen stay safe. Along with Lady Sansa…she might let go at some point out of pure fear. Gods know I nearly shit myself just _seeing_ the dragon."

Jon nods, smiling a bit. "I promise. You be safe traveling there. We can't have you dying on our first trip." He pats the man's shoulder before turning to where the brothers were. Most were standing up above, some not speaking. The ones he did see, however, was Edd and Sam, both looking at them a bit sad. Jon turns to the new Lord Commander and hugs him tightly. "You'll do well here. I'll be sure to bring back the men we need to combat the dead."

"I know you'll do great there as well," Edd says as he pulls back, smiling at him. Jon turns to Sam, before hugging him as well.

"I've sent a raven to come and get you as soon as possible." When he pulls away, he sees Sam grin at him. "You'll be on your way to Oldtown in no time."

"Thank you, Jon. That means everything to me," he responds.

"Don't thank me. I believe this is always what was meant to happen. Just don't die. That's all I ask. I don't know what I would do without my favorite partner." He squeezes Sam's shoulder before taking a step back.

"Safe travels," both of them say.

"To you as well," Jon responds before turning to where Daenerys was, petting Drogon's scales. She had already said her goodbyes before. "Are we ready to head off?"

Daenerys chuckles a bit, rubbing Sansa's shoulder. "I'm ready to go but I don't think she is."

"I…I just need a few moments to let it sit," Sansa admits, staring at Drogon. "By the gods, are we sure this is good?"

Jon raises an eyebrow at her. "Would you rather you return back to Ramsey and be captured here?"

Her brow raises and she instantly shakes her head. "Of course not!"

"Then get on the damn dragon, Sansa," Jon chuckles a bit. She still looks at the beat worriedly, biting her lip.

Jon tries to walk forward but Daenerys comes instead, pressing a hand on the girl's back. "Sansa, I swear to you that I won't let any harm come to you. Drogon only hurts people when I command him to. He will keep you safe. I promise."

Sansa looks to her and then to Jon, who nods his head in agreement with what Daenerys says. After a moment she lets out a long sigh before nodding. "Alright, fine…how do I get on?" Daenerys smiles and helps her grab onto anything she could, helping the taller girl onto the back of the creature. Once she's seated, she gulps as she looks around. "This is scarier than I thought it would be."

Jon laughs and climbs on next, sitting in front of Sansa. Daenerys does the same, taking the spot behind him so that Sansa was in the back. "It's always scary the first time. And then it feels magical."

"Or terrifying."

Jon shakes his head and turns to where the others stood. "Ser Barristan, take off as soon as we take flight. To the rest of you, I will see you soon." He waves a hand and they wave back. He offers one last smile at both Sam and Edd, before turning to Dany. "You want to do the honors, my love?"

She nods lightly before leaning down, scratching Drogon's scales. "Sōvegon," she whispers to him, and within seconds, Drogon begins to flap his wings, letting out a mighty roar. Jon turns his head just in time to see Sansa clutching Dany's back, her eyes closed.

"I regret _everything!_ " she screams as soon as Drogon takes off into the sky, leaving the rest of the Wall behind them. Jon lets out a hearty laugh at his cousin's screams, holding onto Drogon tightly as he soared through the skies. He could hear Daenerys laughing as well, but her grip was much less so on Jon, simply enjoying the fresh air.

As soon as they were high above the ground, he looks down and sees the rest of their men moving out. He hoped they traveled safely. And prayed that nothing stopped them.

He glances back at Sansa and sees her eyes were slammed shut. "Sansa, look around!"

"Nope, I-I think I'm okay!"

"Sansa, trust us," Daenerys chuckles, grabbing the girl's hand that was secure tightly around her waist. " _Look._ "

Jon sees her visibly gulp before slowly opening her eyes. She moves her head slightly, and in the distance, they could see the Wall, growing smaller and smaller, covered by the beauteous snow that surrounded the area, all over the trees and the ground. Birds and crows in the distance flew as the sun rose, creating a beautiful aura of red and orange in the distance. She stares in shock.

" _Wow,"_ she whispers, gawking at the beauty behold them. Jon winks at Dany and then suddenly takes Drogon down for a dive. Instantly Sansa screams again. " _Not wow, not wow!_ "

And he continues to laugh. This was going to be an interesting trip.

* * *

_Ser Barristan_

A couple of days pass with no intrusion. Traveling to White Harbor was easier on horseback, so now, they were clearly passed Winterfell at this point. And soon, they would arrive. All he wanted to do was make it there without much interaction with anyone else. They had stayed in a couple of inns, but everything else had seemed to go well since then.

Brienne and Davos had both been his main sources of contact, both of them having interesting intakes on what to do and where to go next, which he listened to intently. He had never been used to the North and the ways in which people moved, so he was going to listen to the people who _did_ know.

There were a couple of things he did have issues with, but nothing they couldn't figure out themselves once they reunited with the queen – and most likely, the future king. The _Golden Company._ While Barristan _did_ agree with Davos that it was most likely their best option considering gaining more men from Essos, he knew how they treated Daenerys and her brother when they first visited them to ask for help. He wasn't so inclined to put her through that again.

But maybe things had changed. Jon was _most certainly not_ Viserys. He was a threat. A true threat. He could probably clean cut through half the leaders of the Golden Company without question. Viserys was a fool – at least from the stories the queen had told him. And he was quite positive that with everything that had happened, they were most likely going to be more willing to offer their help.

Even so, that was for another day, with the two of them together. For now, it was focusing on keeping themselves alive and traveling to Braavos.

Aemon had been traveling well. They had made sure to keep him in the carriage and as warm as possible – but with three baby dragons and a direwolf surrounding him the whole time, it had been easy. Feeding the little ones, however, had been horrible. Only Aemon could easily feed them without the risk of a finger coming off. Bloody Targaryen blood. He wondered why Sansa had been easily able to feed them before but it was most likely because Jon had Stark blood as well – if only. It would make Barristan's life a lot easier.

Even so, he was doing alright along with the animals. Olly and Podrick stood by their sides the whole time, making sure to follow what they say so they would get there in one piece. It seemed, for now, everything was going according to plan. Until one morning, when a letter was dropped down into his lap, about a quarter of the way to White Harbor.

It was something he wasn't expecting. He had seen that it was sent from Castle Black, but attached to it was another letter in Edd's handwriting, saying that 'this came from Winterfell.' The moment Barristan saw it, he knew it meant trouble. He knew it meant that Ramsey was planning his attack against them. But, despite himself, he still opened up the letter, reading it to himself.

It was the normal shit that he would expect. Him threatening the lives of thousands of people. Threatening Sansa's the most, the poor girl. Still thinking Jon was a bastard. It would only end in misery for him if this battle that Ramsey wanted to happen happened. But one thing stood out to Barristan – the words _Rickon._ The youngest of the Stark brothers.

He states that the direwolf's skin is on his floor, but says that Rickon is still alive in his dungeons. Seven hells, how the fuck did the boy end up _there?_ Barristan honestly thought the boy was dead at this point.

As he read the end of the letter, Barristan raises his brow in surprise at Ransey's forms of torture. He had to admit, Sansa was right. This man was twisted in all the wrong ways. Barristan had known Ramsey was horrible but never could have imagined him threatening to _spoon someone's eyes out._

"Good gods," he mutters to himself. As he places the letter into his pack, he sees Brienne and Davos come towards him.

"Is everything alright?" Davos asks. "We could see your…disgust at something."

"It's nothing…at least for now while we are on the road," Barristan explains. "However, we are going to need to bring it up to Jon once we reach him in Braavos, as well as Daenerys. It is something they are going to want to read."

The two of them nod, glancing back over where the others were, collected around a fire, eating the deer that Brienne had slain earlier in the day. "I wonder constantly about her, you know?" Brienne states after a moment, attracting both Barristan's and Davos's attention. "About Daenerys…I always wanted to serve a good man. That's been my goal. Podrick even said it myself. And Jon…he seems good. But I don't know her. I'm terrified of the stories that might come due to her being a Targaryen."

"Well, I can tell you I haven't seen any instances of madness in the queen's eyes," Barristan reassures her quietly. "And I've been with her for a couple of years now. She's not her father, not by any means. She's a good person with good values and I know that at some point, she's going to be an amazing ruler."

Barristan nods slowly, finally beginning to accept where they were heading.

"And with Jon at her side, I don't think there's anything they can't do," he comments before looking at them. "Forgive me, _Jaehaerys._ "

The two soldiers shake their heads, both in disbelief. "It's amazing what lying can do," Davos mutters. "Never knew there was even a chance of another Targaryen being alive again…and yet here we are." He glances over to where the cages were. "Bloody direwolf _and_ dragons nearly bit off my other fingers."

Barristan laughs. "That sounds about right."

* * *

_Daenerys_

They traveled for a couple of days before the sights of Meereen appeared in their vision from high above atop of Drogon.

They had stopped a fair amount of times – once in a large field away from others in Westeros, and a couple of times along the pathways in Essos, letting Drogon rest. Each time they did stop, her anxiety about what she might find at Meereen grew, but Jon would try his best to somehow soothe those worries before taking off into the sky once more.

Daenerys had also begun to notice that with each time they took off, Sansa's fears of Drogon lessened. It was what she had been expecting, but by the last flight they took to get to Meereen, Sansa no longer had her eyes closed the whole entire time and would look around, trying to see exactly where they were from high above. When she first got off, she had practically kissed the ground. But with each flight, she seemed to be less willing to hop off.

She was glad the Stark girl had taken to flying quickly. Because honestly, she didn't know how long she could last with Sansa's arms digging into her stomach.

Now, it was night, and she could see giant lights coming from Meereen far in the distance. But no candle could produce that same amount of light, nor torch nor campfire. No. There were literal flaming _fireballs_ towards the Great Pyramid, as well as the city down below. With Daenerys in the front of Drogon, she stayed suspended in the air for a moment, staring down at the destruction that was happening, hidden by the clouds.

"Why are they attacking?!" Sansa yells from the back.

"They think that I'm inside," she whispers, before turning to look at Jon. He sat behind her on this trip, and she could see him eyeing the ships that stood at the beach, catapulting the fireballs towards the city. "Where should we land?"

"The darkness will cover Drogon," Jon responds, looking around. "It seems that many of the fireballs they're throwing are too far to make it completely towards the pyramid. We should be fine."

Daenerys nods, agreeing before steering Drogon through the clouds as easily as she could, trying to avoid being seen by the slavers down below. There were a couple of moments where the fireballs did seem to get close but it was nothing her dragon couldn't handle. And sooner or later, they would need to stop and refuel. They would be safe. For now.

She heads towards the top of the pyramid and lands Drogon squarely on it. The dragon lowers his body, allowing both Daenerys and Jon to climb down before they help Sansa onto her feet as well. Daenerys reaches forward and scratches Drogon's scales, smiling at him, saying "You've done well, my boy. We shall see you soon."

Drogon takes off a moment after that, letting out a screech, and Daenerys watches as he uses the darkness to cover himself. Jon leads the way first, jump down from the top to the balcony that sat right below it, where her queen's chambers were. Once he was down, he reaches out to her and helps her jump next, before Sansa follows. The Stark girl stares in shock at the view, seeing the ships from the far beyond, sending off their weapons.

"Seven hells," she whispers.

Before Daenerys could speak, she turns her gaze to see the door to the balcony open. She quickly steps in front of Jon, knowing that if the first person they saw was him, they would attack. As soon as the Unsullied soldiers that crept out see her, they instantly bow. Within seconds, she walks inside, her eyes going from person to person in the room while another fireball was hurled outside.

There was a mix of reactions – and a very good mix of people. Greyworm was standing in the corner, a hand on his spear, but his eyes widened the moment he saw her. Missandei had a grateful smile come over her lips, and almost let out a ghost of a laugh. And then there was the dwarf. The fucking _dwarf_ in the corner. Tyrion Lannister, who was staring at her in complete shock.

"I apologize for how long it's been," she states simply, for what else would there be to say? She didn't know how to explain what she had been doing for these last few months. What she had seen. The people she had met. Everything had evolved so quickly.

But it seems that they didn't seem to care. Missandei had dropped the knife that was in her hands and rushed forward, hugging Daenerys. The Dragon Queen smiles and hugs her back, laughing softly. When Missandei pulls away, she bows her head. "I'm sorry for rushing. I didn't know when you and Barristan might return…if ever."

"I always come back to finish my fights," she reassures the girl. Before she could speak again, however, there was telling from Greyworm as well as the other Unsullied soldiers. Daenerys quickly turns to see Jon have his hands raised, with Sansa hiding behind him. She steps forward. "Dīnagon ilagon aōha spears!" she commands quickly.

The Unsullied look to her in surprise before they do as she says, lowering their guard down. She moves forward and takes Jon's hand, guiding him into the light of the chambers with Sansa behind him, looking around the room in awe. Tyrion stands up the moment he sees the two of them.

" _Jon Snow?"_ he asks, his voice filled with bewilderment. "And… _Sansa?!_ "

Sansa quietly steps out from behind Jon. "Hello, Tyrion," was her quiet response. Daenerys didn't blame her. The girl had confided in her and Jon about her brief yet strange marriage to Tyrion years ago. She hadn't seen him since she had run from Joffrey's marriage to Margaery Tyrell. This would be _quite_ the show.

"I-what in the name of the seven hells is going on?" Tyrion asks, his voice cracking as he looked from her to Jon to Sansa.

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "While we do have some explaining to do, I should be the one asking that question. Why is a _Lannister_ in my living chambers?" she asks, ice dripping from her mouth. Tyrion's mouth shuts after that. The room stays silent. Her brow raises at the quietness. "Can _anyone_ answer this fucking question? _Why is a **Lannister** here?!_"

Her tone of voice causes everyone to move. "Tyrion was brought here by Jorah," Greyworm finally speaks, his voice still as steady as a lake. It was amazing how he never lost his cool when it came to situations like this. "Jorah is currently in the cells down below. But we believed that with Tyrion's past military experience, he would be of use. He's not a free man."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow, glancing over at Tyrion before back at Greyworm. "I want you to bring everyone to the meeting chambers down below. Wherever Daario is, have him come. Along with his sellswords if he must bring them. Bring along Jorah as well…we need to speak about everything that has happened and discuss the next steps."

At that moment, it seemed that fireballs had halted. Daenerys glances outside the window, seeing nothing in the sky.

"How nice. Seems they've stopped for the night." She turns back to the people in there, all looking at her in surprise. "Well, what are you waiting for? Collect _everyone!_ "

Instantly they begin to walk out. Greyworm bows his head and commands the other Unsullied to gather everyone. Missandei walks out with Tyrion, who still seemed completely in shock. Daenerys lets out a soft sigh once they were all gone. She turns to where Sansa and Jon stood, both of which had been quiet. Her brow raises when she sees the smirk on Jon's face.

"What is it?"

"I'm pretty sure the dwarf shit himself when you cursed," Jon chuckles a bit.

"Didn't know it was okay for queens to curse like that," Sansa mutters.

Daenerys smiles a bit before glancing back outside. "It's alright if the very city you're ruling is falling apart." Her eyes lock on the ships, something that would easily be able to transfer all of her men to Westeros. They were their main source point. What they needed to get out of all of this shit. "I just hope we can come to a conclusion with this nonsense tomorrow."

She steps back from the balcony and turns to them once more. Jon was looking at some of the dresses that were hung up in an armoire in the corner. His brow was raised at some of them. Daenerys looks back to Sansa.

"How about you go down to the meeting chambers and Jon and I will meet you there. One of the Unsullied will guide you."

"I-um-"

"Sansa, if you want to rule someday, you can't keep following people around. You need to take charge and go headfirst. That applies here. No one's going to hurt you. Just walk around and I'm sure you'll find it."

Sansa glances at the door before nodding. "You're right. I know." She goes to the door before turning to her. "Also…are we going to be flying to Braavos again?"

Daenerys raises her brow. "It's something we will figure out, but most likely. Why? Already miss Drogon?" she teases a bit.

Sansa rolls her eyes and glances away. "No," she mumbles, but Daenerys could see the lie in her eyes the moment she said that. Without another word, she exited the room, heading down to where the meeting chambers would be. Daenerys turns her gaze back to Jon now, who had taken out one of her dresses and hung it up in front of him, one of the blues that had slits all over it.

He raises an eyebrow at her as she comes to his side. "Are you serious about this?" he asks. "You _wore_ these?"

Daenerys chuckles. "I did, yes. Do you have a problem with it?"

"I have about _a hundred_ problems with this, good gods," Jon mutters. "You can see every inch of skin. I-" He stops himself a moment later and lets out a deep breath. "I know it's not my place. As long as no one is touching you in them then I guess I have no right to complain." He looks down at her and smiles a bit. "However, I…wouldn't mind seeing you in that dress."

Daenerys' brow raises. "So you _don't_ want to see me in the dress but _you_ want to see me in the dress. I'm starting to see a bit of a contradiction here." Jon rolls his eyes and wraps his arms around her, pulling her close to him.

"Alright, let me be clearer than – you can wear whatever dresses you want but only _I_ get to touch you in them."

Daenerys smiles at that. "Well, considering you're the only man I'd ever let take it off of me, I accept that."

Jon chuckles, leaning in and kissing her lips gently. After a moment, he pulls away and glances at the door. "You know for a fact Sansa is going to get lost down there."

"I do," Daenerys chuckles a bit. "But she has to learn somehow."

"Or maybe you just wanted to get me all alone, hmm?"

"A bit of both, yes."

" _Dany,"_ he scorns, shaking his head. "That's very naughty of you. We have a meeting to get to."

One of her brows perks up. "You can't tell me you're not the first one to hear that people fuck each other before the night of a battle," she whispers to him, her hands holding onto his tunic. "Besides, I've been riding a dragon for hours. I want to ride a _different_ one now."

Jon's brow raises very high at that, and she feels herself smile at his shocked expression. "You're going to ask for something you'll regret, Dany."

"I don't think I could ever regret you." She pulls at him slightly. "Please…just a little bit before we have to go back to ruling, to dealing with _all of this_. We've _barely_ done anything since Castle Black because Sansa's been here and she's a sweet girl but has been blocking us every time we've tried to couple. Please."

The look in his eyes changes from dark to light when he sees her plead, and he brings a hand up to her cheek, stroking softly. "There's the Dany I know." He leans down and kisses her softly, the single peck igniting a fire deep within her, every ounce of the cold thawing from her heart that she put up the moment she stepped through those doors. He pulls back a moment later. "Have to admit, I thought you were going to smack Tyrion."

"He's lucky I didn't pull out Dark Sister."

Jon laughs but is silenced a moment later when she jumps up, her lips planting on his once more. He wraps his arms tightly around her, his fingers making quick work of her sheath that sat at her hips, with hers doing the same to his. Both of their swords fall to the ground with a * _thud*_ before he lifts her up again and brings her over to the bed.

The moment he lays down on it and lets out a groan. "Fuck, this is the best bed I've ever been on."

She laughs this time. "Bit of an upgrade from the Wall," she says quickly before their lips and tongues intertwine once more. She climbs on top of him and he backs up against the headboard, holding her close to him. They don't even bother to remove clothing. His hands are reaching under the trousers she had, trying to pull them down along with his. Their lips don't disconnect for a single second.

However, the door suddenly bursts open, followed by a loud, "Daenerys!" She instantly pulls away from Jon, glaring at whoever it was that dared disturbed them, ready to blow their heads off possibly because she was _done with the bloody interruptions._

But as soon as she sees exactly who it was – the dyed blue hair with the three-pronged beard signaling his arrival – she feels herself still slightly and glance back at Jon, who still had her sitting on his lap, arms wrapped around her waist.

There, standing agape with shock at what he just witnessed, was Daario Naharis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who thinks this meeting is going to go horribly wrong? *raises hand high in air*
> 
> Before anyone asks, the timeline is very fuzzy in my story lol the things that were happening at the same time in the show are not happening at the same time of this. In my version, this Meereen siege is happening much earlier on because we're skipping out on that whole Dothraki shit show thing that happened with Dany (at least for now), so just hopefully trust the process and we will get where we need to go eventually lmfao 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments and responses have always inspired me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you all. You've been so helpful with all your suggestions and trivia and just your pure words of encouragement and joy and I've loved all of it, so thank you all for being so freaking great - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: Daario Naharis meets Jaehaerys Targaryen. Daenerys has some interesting reunions, learns of what has happened, and the others learn of her adventures with Jon. A battle emerges. And another dragon finds its rider.


	19. Dragons and Duels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys, Jon, and the rest of the group meet together to discuss the next steps regarding the prisoners, as well as the Slavers. And Daario proposes something to Jon for the Queen - and Jon does not like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the AMAZING response on the last chapter! I loved see all your prediction and reactions and everything else. It was awesome. I made this chapter extra long for you all so I hope you like it haha the battle doesn't happen on this one but next chapter so stay tuned, but A LOT of stuff happens in this one so it should be good lol thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! :)

_Daenerys_

She instantly jumps off of Jon, feeling her own cheeks start to redden. In all the instances of someone interrupting them, she didn't think she'd feel _this much_ embarrassment. But then again, she never assumed Daario would just barge in on her like that.

"Daario," she states, her voice as curt and polite as possible. "It's good to see you again."

Daario looks from her to the bed, where Jon was actually still laying, his brow raised. Daenerys looks at Jon and throws him a look, one that said ' _get the fuck out of the bed'_ and he seemed to get the message. A moment later he scurries out, standing up next to her.

"I'm sorry about that," Jon states, his hands resting at his side. "The queen and I just got ahead of ourselves for later on." Dany fights the urge to glare at him as Jon reaches out his hand to Daario, who's eyes were narrowed at him. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Jaehaerys."

Daario's brow raises at him. "Jaehaerys? I just heard the imp say your name is Jon." He doesn't even bother to shake Jon's hand before turning to Daenerys. "What the hell is going on here, Daenerys? I come in here to see you and suddenly you're-"

"Mind your tongue if you finish that sentence," she interrupts, keeping his comments short. "And also might I remind you that there's this wonderful thing called _knocking._ Which you should have done regardless of who I spend my private time with. That was unacceptable. You have no right to question me when you had no right to even come in in the first place."

Daario looks as if he wants to say something but at her icy expression, he shuts his mouth and bows his head. "Of course, my queen." He looks back up, glancing at Jon who stood behind her. "I'm sorry if my…excitement was too much. I heard you were back and I wanted to see if it was real…I've missed you in the time you've been gone. It's been lonely here and many things have changed."

Daenerys bites her lip. ' _Many things **have** changed,'_ she thinks but does not speak. Instead, she smiles politely at Daario. "Again. It's good to see you as well, Daario...please, we can continue discussing this later." She gestures to the door. "But for now, Jaehaerys and I need to prepare for the war meeting. What you _can_ do is make sure that everyone is in the meeting chambers downstairs, along with the leaders you've entrusted. That way, we can make sure that we're all prepared for the wars to come. Can you do that for me?"

Daario looks at her once more. She could see the fight in her eyes, the questions that he wanted to ask, and she knew one way or another they would come. However, for now, he seemed to mind his opinion on the matter and nods. "I can do that." His tone was short, just as hers was. He bows his head, and she watches him leave.

One thing she did notice is how he slams the door behind him this time, a much different point of how he entered.

As soon as he was gone, she lets out the longest sigh ever and turns to look at Jon, who had a grin on his face. Instantly her eyes narrow. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!"

" _That_ was the man you were with?"

"'The queen and I got ahead of ourselves?'" she asks, her tone rising.

"I still can't believe it. My gods." He was laughing now. "Fuck, you must have been _desperate._ " He sits back down on the bed, holding his side. "Please tell me that when you first did it he didn't have that little beard thing he has going on."

"I-he…what he had has nothing to-"

"Oh my _gods,_ he did!" Jon snorts, his eyes closed as he laughed, squinched up into tiny balls of happiness. As much as she wanted to be upset at him, she couldn't help the small smile that slid onto her lips when she watched him. She was trying to hide it. "Dany, you could have done _so much better._ Why _him_?"

Daenerys rolls her eyes and walks to the bed, taking a seat next to him. "I don't know, Jon…maybe you're right. Maybe I was desperate. Maybe I was lonely. He has this way with words and…I don't know." She glances at the ground, shaking her head. "I already told you I never loved him but for a time I thought maybe something could come from it. Everything changed when I met you."

His laughter eases, and instead, he smiles when he pulls her close to him, wrapping his arms around her. He kisses the top of her head, and she feels herself melt into his chest. The two sit there for a moment before he speaks. "You know he's going to have something to say about this, right?"

Daenerys sighs. "I know. Trust me, I do. But I only hope that he holds it off until the end of the meeting."

Jon nods quietly before another sly comment leaves his lips. "I can see why you were attracted to him." She raises an eyebrow. "That blue hair is a woman-killer." It comes out sarcastically. She rolls her eyes once more and turns away.

"You know what, I don't need to be berated by you for my past decisions. You literally fell for a woman that would _kill you_ if she had the chance. I'd never do that," she argues.

Jon chuckles a bit before nodding. "Alright, how about this. I'll promise you that I'll never get blue hair as long as you promise never to kill me," he says softly. She lets out a soft snicker, but couldn't help but smile at his proposition.

"I think I can agree with that."

"Good." He leans down and kisses her on the lips once more. When he pulls back, he sighs. "I suppose our little time we could have had is ruined now." She sadly nods. "Fine…but you owe me later."

She gapes at him. "Excuse me? I was the one who even _wanted_ to do it in the first place," she responds. "If anything, _you_ owe _me!_ "

She gets up from the bed after that, looking at herself in the mirror. Inwardly, she feels herself cringe a bit. It seems that she had looked a bit _messier_ than she thought she did when Daario barged in. Her dress was ruffled and her trousers underneath that she used to ride Drogon were already undone. Her hair was a mess. Good gods.

As she fixes herself, she feels two arms snake around from behind her, one creeping _dangerously_ low towards her cunt. " _Jon,_ " she whispers fiercely.

"You said I owe you. Might as well pay it back now," he murmurs into her ear. It was amazing how he could say such a sweet thing to her but the dark intentions that he had lingered within that as well. And honestly, for a moment, she let his hand linger, looking at his reflection in the mirror, biting her lip, wondering if _maybe_ they could.

But she shakes her head a moment later and turns to him, removing her hand from her dress. "No. We can't. We have to talk with them." Jon's gaze falls and he rolls his eyes before sighing.

"Fine," he mutters before stepping away. "You're right, as always." He grabs her hand and kisses the top of it, the small movement making her smile. "Let us go, my queen – oh, wait." He turns her around gently and then she feels his fingers tie up her dress once more. "I got to it right as Daario came in."

Daenerys' cheeks turn to the color of tomatoes once more before she turns to look at him. "I'm sorry, Jon. I…I wanted to. I really do. I-"

He leans in close and tilts her head up, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose. "Dany, I don't blame you for wanting to be a leader. Again, what kind of man would I be if I held you guilty for that?" She smiles, grateful at his words, her worries easing away. "And even so, that means I get to do more to you tonight." His words held promise. It made her want to stay in their chambers. "Now, let's go show them who you are."

Daenerys nods and takes his hand, as he guides her out of the room. And together, they head down to the meeting chambers.

* * *

When they arrived downstairs, they all stood for her. And as she looked around, she could see multiple faces, watching their movies closely. She could see Tyrion at the end of the table, seated next to Daario and his men – the prior glaring at Jon as they walked by. She could see Greyworm standing with two of the leading Unsullied behind him. And she could see Jorah…her once good friend, in chains, standing next to two other Unsullied.

She feels herself stop when she looks at him, stilling completely. He seems to still as well. Jon stands behind her, grabbing her hand, letting her know that he was there for her. She appreciated it immensely.

He takes a seat near the top – drawing some looks from Greyworm and Missandei, who still seemed shocked at his appearance. Sansa had also taken a seat, although closer to Daenerys. And, as she sat down, the young Stark girl moves over, letting her have more room. "I trust that you've found this room well?" she asks her.

"I…might have had Greyworm help me," Sansa says sheepishly. "He knows the pyramid well."

Daenerys holds back a snicker before nodding. "He does indeed. And he and his men have done an excellent job of keeping it safe these past couple of months." She turns to the group of people, deciding that it was best now to speak about what had happened instead of pushing it off. "Ser Barristan told me a couple of days ago that you had caught wind of where I was. How, exactly, did you?" she asks Greyworm.

Greyworm gestures to outside. "We received word from someone in Westeros. Apparently a brother of the Night's Watch? Uh…I recall his name being Edd." Dany's eyes instantly widen and she turns to look at Jon, who's jaw was set hard. "It wasn't malicious," Greyworm instantly states when he sees their looks. "He wanted to let her people know. He didn't know where to send it to Meereen so he assumed the Great Pyramid."

"I wish the man had fucking told me," Jon mutters. "While I can appreciate him wanting to look out for her that could have been intercepted by Ramsey."

"It's something you can discuss with him the next time you see him," Dany says to him quietly before turning back to Greyworm. "Well…he was right." She stands, looking at each of the people in the room. "When the Sons of Harpy attacked the Great Pyramid, I had nowhere to go. Missandei and I were running for our lives when Ser Barristan saved us, once I had already been knocked out. He took me to where I could find the advice that I truly needed, the courage that could be given to me, in my last known relative – Aemon Targaryen."

Missandei's brow raises. "There was another Targaryen?"

"Indeed. And he was my great uncle." Daenerys smiles lightly. "I never thought I would meet another one of my kind, but there he was. With his years of wisdom willing to offer. But there was one issue – I was at the Wall, where women usually are not allowed. So, Ser Barristan and I have to strike up a deal with the acting Lord Commander, which was Jon Snow."

"But…Ser Barristan isn't here," Tyrion comments. "And now you've brought the Lord Commander with you to Meereen? Along with his sister?"

"That's because the things you know are not the things that are," Daenerys responds. "Ser Barristan will be coming, but not alone. Jon and I decided to fly here once Drogon reunited with me. That was the large bang you heard before. And, because Sansa is itching to take the reigns of the North with her other brothers gone or missing, she is shadowing me."

"I'm…still confused," Greyworm states honestly. "Why is the Lord Commander here?"

"Because Jon isn't the Lord Commander anymore."

"It's a life sentence," Tyrion states. At her quiet gaze, he doesn't speak. But it seems slowly, it starts to sink into his mind what she meant by that.

She turns to Jon, nodding at him to stand. He does so, and she takes a seat, letting him have the light for a few moments. "I'm sure many of you are confused as to why I am here. I never thought I would come to Meereen. Daenerys initially offered it to me and I turned it down because I have a duty to protect the realms of men from the threat beyond the North. The threat of the dead." They all look at him in confusion at that. "But that's for another time. Right now, we have the threat right outside your doors, and that's the main focus. And I came here to help her with that."

"How can you help her?" Greyworm asks. "You are just a man. Someone who is betraying his duty."

"I'm not betraying anything," Jon responds calmly. "I was killed for the choices I made there. I came back to life. Things like this happen every day with how often sorcery occurs, but I came back for a _reason._ " He looks to her and she nods, urging him to say it. He turns back to the group of people. "My name isn't Jon Snow. It's never been. My father – who is now my uncle – lied to me my whole life. I was born Jaehaerys Targaryen, son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen."

There was silence. You could hear a pin drop. Tyrion's mouth had dropped open in surprise. Even Jorah in his chains seemed stilled. Daario looked to be seething. He stood up a moment later. "That doesn't mean shit. You're still a bastard. Daenerys has told me the stories about her brother."

"Daenerys was wrong. Everyone was. They married and he had his marriage to Elia annulled. So you should do well to sit down before you say more ridiculous nonsense." Daario doesn't say another word, but Daenerys could see the anger in his eyes. She felt herself smile at how quick Jon was to dismiss him. He turns back to the people. "Not only can I ride a dragon, but I am also just as much of a Targaryen as Daenerys is. I can end this with her, as quickly as possible."

"So…that makes you her nephew?" Tyrion quips, to which Jon nods. "This is quite interesting. Do you have anything to back this up?"

"Aemon will be bringing everything with him as he travels here, all the documents and journals you could need. If that's not enough proof, I have literally woken up through fire unburnt – just as Daenerys. But what our relation is doesn't matter. What matters is us getting rid of the people who were firing fireballs at the pyramid earlier on." He turns to Daenerys, taking a seat next to her gently. "Now, I'm sure she has something to say after all that, so you go ahead, my dragon."

Oh, he was having fun with this. She could see the look that appeared in Daario's eyes the moment he said that. She wanted to kick him under the table and laugh at the same time.

"Thank you, Jaehaerys," she states, keeping her tone the same while looking over at the men. "Much has happened since I have been gone, I can see. To answer your question from earlier more intensely, Ser Barristan is traveling with some of our other companions. Once we take care of the threat here, Jon and I are going to be traveling to Braavos to meet with them and bring them to Meereen. From there, we will figure out exactly what plans we need to do to progress with our conquering of Westeros. Ser Barristan will also be bringing three new dragons with us, so be prepared for that."

"I'm sorry, _what?_ " Tyrion asks in shock. "There are _more_ dragons?"

"Drogon laid them while we were in the North," Daenerys says evenly. "They hatched when Jon was brought back from the dead." She raises an eyebrow at him. "However, there is the elephant in the room that needs to be discussed, and that is _you,_ Tyrion. As well as Jorah." She looks back to him and then to Jorah. "I am going to hear out each of you. You will give me a reason as to why I shouldn't feed you to my dragons. And if I think the reason is legitimate, then I will let you live." She turns to Tyrion. "You first."

Tyrion seemed surprised at her statement but nods nevertheless, his small body standing up from where he sat. "Your grace," he begins. "Originally, I was going to be coming to Meereen with a man, whom I'm sure you will meet very soon. Someone named Varys, someone who supports you and wants you to take the throne. I hated my family for a reason – they were horrible rulers, and even more horrible people. I decided that it was better to leave that behind considering they all believe I murdered my sister's child – which I _didn't._ As much as everyone believes I did. While we were in Volantis, I was drinking myself into a stupor, welcoming death at this point, when Jorah took me and brought me here. He wanted me to be a gift for you. When we arrived and saw that you had vanished, I told Greyworm here that I could be of use. I've had experience defending a city. I know how these leaders work. I could be of help to you. While I have my thoughts about your former family, I trusted Varys' word. And the fact that you didn't have Jo-Jaehaerys, I mean, kill me instantly, speaks volumes."

"You're right. I could have had you killed. And I am still thinking about it," she admits, crossing her arms against her chest. "Your family betrayed mine. Your brother killed my father. And while I don't agree that he was a good man, that was an act of treason that should be repaid."

"I've betrayed my own family," Tyrion laments. "I shot my father in the heart before I fled and killed my mother when I was born…I would be pointless to them. They all despise me except for my brother."

"So the one man that I should get back at for?" she questions.

"If you want to kill me, so be it," Tyrion admits. "I was dancing with death every day while traveling. I welcome it now. But all I am saying is that you could use me. I want to make sure that my family is off the throne. That someone _good_ can rule over Westeros. And I believe that you can do that."

Daenerys was silent for a moment, thinking over her next words. "Why should I have a kinslayer here with me?" she raises. "Many people will not like that fact that you murdered your father. The public is well-aware of it, I'm sure."

"Then I don't need to be on your main council or anything else – but if you want to understand the ways of Westeros, why not use someone who really _knows_ about it? Who's lived in the castle for a good portion of his life now. Who _knows_ the family? You may have people who understand the commoners, but not the royals. Not your enemy."

Daenerys fell quiet. In a way, he was right. He probably knew the castle better than anyone. More than Sansa. More than someone else she could take into her arms. And what's better, he knew the Lannister's. He knew how they thought and acted. And that was exactly what she needed.

However, there was something else she had to her advantage as well. And that was sitting right next to her.

"Sansa," she begins, turning her gaze from Tyrion to the redhead beside her. "You were married to Tyrion for a time. During that, did he show any harm towards you?"

Sansa seemed surprised that she had brought her up into the conversation, but after a moment, she shakes her head. "No. He never did. Honestly, out of everyone that I've been married to or close to marrying, he's been the best."

"What a terrible thought," Tyrion quips. Sansa looked to chuckle herself.

"What did he do that made you feel he was a good man?" Daenerys asks.

"Well…on our wedding night, when even Joffrey was pressuring us to bed, he never touched me. During our time together, he never did anything once to me because I didn't want it…much less I can say about other people. And…and when I found out about my brother and my mother, he tried to take care of me despite knowing it was his family that caused it. He's not like the rest of his family."

Daenerys nods, listening to her words. "And does he truly despise his family as much as he says he does? Or is he only saying it so I don't burn him where he stands?"

Sansa slowly nods. "He does. I've heard him talk about his sister…Tommen he cares for, and for his brother, he does too because he's the only one that ever really cared for him…but he doesn't believe Tommen is right for the throne. And neither is his sister if something were to happen to Tommen."

She lets her words sink in, nodding, trying to think of the best way to process this. After a moment, she turns back to Tyrion.

"I will not have you killed," she decides after a second. She sees him visibly let out a breath of relief. "I can recognize when I do need the intake that you have, and that it can be helpful to me. I also trust Sansa's word, as she has given me no reason to distrust her."

"Thank you, your grace."

"But don't you dare expect him nor I to trust you so quickly," she quickly states a moment after. "You are still a Lannister. You are still _close_ to one of the Lannister's. I refuse to have treason in my ranks again. And if I get even a _sniff_ of you betraying us, I will make sure that day will be your _last._ "

Tyrion nods to that, swallowing. "I promise you, you will not have it. Not once."

"I better not." She turns her gaze back to Jorah, who had been silent. "It seems that your _gift_ will be put to good use. And you yourself better have a good reason for me not to kill you right now after I _banished_ you from ever setting foot in this city again. But I gave him the light of day. I will give you the same."

Jorah visibly relaxes when she says that. He steps forward, but not too close. The guards were close behind him. "I know that I have no right to be here. I know that I should have never returned…but I wanted to bring you something you could use, for the _chance_ to serve you again. Yes, I did spy on you for Varys – who has _switched_ to your side, you can barely trust that spider. He switches sides on _everyone._ But that happened long ago, and things have changed…and I am utterly and completely loyal to you. I have been for years now. All I want to see is you take the throne, and for me to somehow help you get there. I am so horribly sorry for what I have done and what I continued to do, but know that it will _never_ happen again."

He lowers his head, daring not to look at her, knowing of his place.

"I know who you are. And if you say of whom Jon is, and he is your advisor now, I will make sure that he will be treated with the same amount of respect like you. I will never betray you again. I will never harm you again. You _must_ believe me when I say this. I was a stupid, inconsiderate idiot who wanted to find his way back home but I regret everything because serving you is my home. My purpose. And I couldn't walk away from that. Not without one more shot. _Please._ "

Daenerys felt her hands clench around each other. She could see the desperateness in his eyes, the plead, the sorrowful glance that held around him. But a part of her was still distrustful. A part of her would always be wounded by what he did to her. Even so, there was no denying that he had been loyal to her for some time before she found out what happened.

So, she decides to turn to Jon.

"You knew his father," she says softly to him. "What did Jeor Mormont have to say about Jorah?"

Jon seemed surprised that she had asked him, but speaks nonetheless. "Jeor…never talked about him all that much because of what Jorah did in the first place, and how he ended up where he is now. But, on the times he did talk about him, he would say how Jorah was a skilled fighter and loyal to his people, so much so that he tried to break the rules to please his former wife." She could see Jorah gulp when he says that. "But…from what you've told me, I've also heard that he was a loyal follower to you, at least for most of the time you've been here."

Daenerys was quiet, sitting next to Jon, thinking of what the best way to do this was. And instead, she turns to him. "Then what do you think I should do with him?"

"I thought this was about what _you_ wanted," Daario inputs from the side.

"I trust Jon with my life, which means I trust him with this decision," she quickly responds to him. "Mind your tongue," she reminds once more. "The next time you interrupt, I will have it cut off." Daario doesn't respond but leans down in his seats, arms crossed. She turns back to Jon. "What's your advice?"

Jon looks to her and then to Jorah. He brings his thumb to his mouth, chewing on the end of it while thinking it over. A moment after, he lets it fall and looks at her. "You know me. I'm not a fan of second chances."

"…I know that."

"But…I am a supporter of growth. If I went and killed every person that betrayed me, I would have no supporters. Tormund would be dead. Olly would most certainly be dead considering he was against my decisions at first. Half of the Night's Watch would be dead. It's when it becomes _multiple_ offenses that you need to kill someone, which is why I beheaded Janos. Or…they kill you, hence why I killed the planners of the treason, not the watchers. But Jorah…while he _did_ betray your trust, that happened when you weren't this powerful. This strong. He stopped it, _years_ ago. While that was his fault for not telling you earlier on of his betrayals, and he _should_ pay for that because it was still your life, he's shown nothing but devotion to you for some time. While what he told Robert would have been useful then, he did save you from the poison, even if he knew about it – at least from what you've told me. He could have let that happen. He chose to betray them to serve you, because he believed in you, even if he kept it a secret all this time."

"So then what do you think I should do?" she asks him again.

He looks to Jorah once more. "Don't kill him. He's of use to you. But don't necessarily trust him just yet." He looks to her. "Have an Unsullied watch his every move. Make sure that he's guarded day and night. He doesn't need to be in chains – he's of no physical threat to you. But he's a skilled fighter and can work in your defense. In _our_ defense. And we need all the fighters we can get, Dany."

There seemed to be some eyes drawn when he says her name like that – especially Jorah – but she pays them no mind. She instead focuses on Jon, and reaches under the table, taking his hand. Despite the horrible situation they were in, she knew he was always trying to find her the right way to win what they needed to. And he saw through all this. He understood this. And she trusted his word.

Even so, if they were to marry, she needed to learn to let him speak his mind. So this would be the first.

"Alright then," she responds, before turning to Jorah. "Jon has proven him to me so many times now. He would never put a possible threat in my mists…if he believes that you are worth something to us, I will let you live." She nods to the Unsullied. "Dāez zirȳla hen zȳhon belma," she commands.

Jorah looked absolutely stunned but happy nonetheless, as the Unsullied quickly remove his chains from his arms and legs. Once they are gone, he kneels down, his head bowed. "I promise, your grace, you will never have a reason not to trust me again…I swear. I am so thankful."

"Stand." He does as she says instantly. She does not show any emotion. "You are not off the hook so easily. I will be abiding by Jon's suggestion and have you watched day and night. Whenever you are near me, while you sleep, when you awake – no matter what. Only when you have finally proven yourself to me will I let you truly live. Until then, consider yourself a personal prisoner of the crown. You may not have chains but you are not free."

Jorah nods his head. "As long as I can serve you. I don't care if I am in chains or not. Thank you…to both of you."

Daenerys sees Jon nod in response, and she nods once before turning to the soldiers. "Gūrogon zirȳla naejot iā seat. Iōragon ondoso zȳhon paktot." The Unsullied move him to a seat near the back. He didn't show much emotion on his face – probably because he didn't want to put himself in an even worse position than he already was – but a part of Daenerys was happy to see him back, even if every other part was still filled with distrust.

She would only hope that over time, Jon's words would prove true. She had trusted him with everything else. She would trust him with this.

Daenerys takes another seat next to him, letting out a long sigh. "Alright…now that we've figured out what to do with you two, I believe we should move onto the threat outside our doors."

"If you don't mind me asking, my queen," Greyworm states a moment later. "Jaehaerys mentioned that you had a fight of your own…is there something else besides the throne that we are not aware of?"

Daenerys looks to Jon and he shakes his head. "That will be something we bring up in another meeting. It has something to do with what he mentioned earlier. Again, we must focus on what is outside. What is terrorizing the citizens of Meereen right now. That is our goal. One battle at a time."

That seemed to be the end of that question. Greyworm nods once, letting her know he understood. She turns to Tyrion, her brow raised.

"You've been here for some time now. I'm sure Greyworm has been keeping a watchful eye on you. What has he been doing?"

Greyworm speaks. "While we've kept him here, the attacks have stabilized. He's held meetings with the slave masters, some of which have gone well. Some not. As you can see, the masters have come back afterward. Tyrion believes they are afraid of their slaves 'rising up.' Which is why they are attacking you."

"They offered peacefully at first for you to leave," Missandei brings up. "For ships and to let you live as long as they could take over again. We denied it."

"As you should have," Daenerys states before turning to Tyrion once more. "So you've been making decisions in my wake?"

"Only with the approval of Greyworm and the others," Tyrion states calmly. "I didn't do anything without them agreeing at first."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow before nodding. "Alright…then if you believe that you've been doing well with this, what do you advise that I do?"

"Well, first of all, Greyworm had mentioned to me that you had planned to try and make peace with them," he suggests. "I heard that it was possibly through a marriage?"

"That's not happening anymore" she instantly states. She was quick to say it, but there was no chance that she would take anyone. No one but Jon. And he was quite sure that if she did, he would kill them in an instant. "Marriage is off the table."

It seemed that everyone was surprised at her quick dismissal, but does not look to comment. Tyrion nods. "Alright, then if that's it, then there has to be another way to make peace. Meereen had been strong during this whole entire mess. Commerce has returned to the marks. The people are behind you…most of them. No ruler that has ever lived has held the good graces of all people. But because of this violence, more and more people are turning to your side. The Masters cannot let Meereen succeed, because if it does, a city without slavery, without masters, it proves that no one needs a master."

Daenerys nods quietly. "Good. That was the whole goal of this, anyway. But it doesn't matter if the people are returning to the markets – it matters that the Masters and their soldiers were firing fireballs at us not that long ago, threatening the innocent lives of the people. That can't happen."

"Then what do you suggest that you do?" Tyrion asks.

"I will do the same thing I did when I first stepped foot in this city," she responds coldly. "I will crucify their Masters, and set their fleets afire, killing every last one of their soldiers. If need be, I'll return to their cities and kill those Masters there as well."

Tyrion glances away. She raises an eyebrow.

"What, you don't approve?" she mutters.

"Do you know exactly who your father was?" Tyrion asks her quietly. "He told my brother what he was planning on doing when the Lannister armies were at the gates of Kings Landing. He had mountains of wildfire, hidden underneath the Red Keep, the Guildhalls, the Sept of Baelor – everywhere. He would have killed every single last person, the loyal ones and the traitors, women, and children. That's why my brother killed him."

"This is completely different," Jon speaks up from his seat. "She's not talking about destroying innocents. She's talking about killing the fuckers that have planned this."

"Even if she goes to those cities, she would still be reducing them to dirt. Innocent people would still get killed," Tyrion fights back. "It's not completely different."

Daenerys glances at Jon, who seems to understand what he was saying. "Then what exactly do you think we should do?" she asks after a moment. "I refuse to give up my position. I refuse to leave here and let them take over once more."

"There is an alternate approach," Tyrion suggests. "You need the ships – they have them. But you need to show that you're not here to mess around. You _just_ came back with Drogon – and not only that but another dragonrider." He looks at Jon. "As much as I am completely flabbergasted by this turn of events, if Jon says who he says he is, he can take the hold of one of your dragons. Use them against them – show them that you are a threat. But you don't need to destroy every single last one of their ships. That could be your ticket to getting out of here – or at least some of it."

Daenerys nods, listening to his words. "And what about the streets? Surely there will be people who will try and kill the civilians."

"That's where using the Unsullied and the Second Sons comes in handy," Tyrion comments. "You have these men serving your every whim. It's time that you used them to your advantage. There is a way around this without killing thousands of innocents. You know it. And I know you will do it. You're not your family. I know that from the stories I've heard of you. But you need to prove that to the others as well. Or else no one will accept you in Westeros."

She lets his statement sink in. A moment later, she stands. "Greyworm, Tyrion, arrange a meeting with the Master's tomorrow. We will meet them near the edge of the grounds of the pyramid in the morning." She glances out towards the window, at the ships that were in the bay. "It's time we ended this. Once and for all."

* * *

The meeting was dismissed once they left. She watched as Jorah was taken away without another word she could speak to him before he disappeared behind the corner. She watched as Daario practically stormed out with his men, muttering under his breath. She watched as Missandei left with Greyworm, saying that she would see her in the morning to prepare her for the meeting, and guided Sansa to a room of her own for the time being.

She waited until it was just the two of them. Just her and Jon. And when it was, she felt a tear escape her eye. The moment he sees that he stands from his seat, coming to her side with eyes full of concern. "Dany, what's wrong?"

"What if he's right?" she asks quietly. "What if…what if what I wanted to do to those cities it's…I'm like my father? What if I become him?"

Jon instantly shakes his head. "You could never be him. What I said was true – this was an entirely different situation that no one could have prepared for. They need to be taught a lesson. But Tyrion is right…it's better to show them you're a threat then pull through with it. If they keep coming back, that's when it turns to death. Or to burning."

She swallows, but his words do little to soothe her. Jon sighs and looks at her, before gently urging her onto the table. She does so without argument. It was amazing how she felt a complete difference with him. With her council, she was the stone-cold face of a queen, threatening, intense, stubborn, but with Jon, she felt innocent. Like she could feel vulnerable around him, and no one else.

"That is never going to happen to either of us," he promises softly. "You and I care far too much about innocent people to ever do that. Look at what we're doing for the realm. Look at what you did at Hardhome…that's not the work of a mad queen. And it never could be. And even if, for some unknown reason you did get to that point, I would make sure you'd get down from that instantly. I won't let anything happen to you."

Daenerys smiles at his words, taking his hands in hers. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"I keep telling you it's the other way around," he whispers.

The two of them share a kiss, a soft one compared to the heavy one that had been in the room prior before she gently steps down from the table. "Come…I want to do something before we go to bed."

She reaches out and takes his hand, and he intertwines it with his own. Together, they walk out of the meeting chambers, heading through the hallways. The two of them pass Unsullied guards – most of which definitely saw their hands together, but said nothing, all the way until she guides him quietly outside. If she could recall correctly, it was near the back, where they laid.

Drogon was most likely resting wherever he was, but she trusted that he could come when the time came.

Daenerys moves Jon quietly through the gates and the streets, making sure to stay hidden until they could reach the back of the pyramid. There was a stone blocking the door, a giant one that needed to be moved. She turns to Jon, who was looking at the door in confusion. She lets go of his hand and moves to one side.

"Help me with this." He does as she asks, moving to the other side to roll it. She uses all the strength she could muster before pushing it to the edge, grunting as she did until there were tiny beads of sweat coming down her forehead. Once it was all the way to the side, she looks down into the abyss below her, the darkness all-consuming. There were screeches coming from below.

He looks at her and she slowly nods to confirm his suspicions. 

"This is where Rhaegal and Viserion are…I haven't seen them since…I don't even know." She looks back up at him. "I know that they are my children. I know that I should trust them. But it's been so long and I know there's a chance they might…do something. I didn't want to be alone. And if we are meant to ride together tomorrow…you might as well meet Rhaegal."

Jon nods gently. "He was named after my father?"

"Indeed."

"Alright…let's go down together," he urges softly, taking her hand once more. She bites her lip, her violet eyes watching the stairs nervously before she follows after his footsteps, taking it one step at a time. The light from the torches seems to get darker as they went down deeper into the dungeons. She could hear a low growl come from beneath as they went deeper.

When their feet finally hit the bottom, the torches seemed to glow. And then, within seconds, two dragons let out mighty bursts of fire that lit up the room, roaring into the air. Daenerys takes a step back in shock as she stares at them. They had grown much while they were down here. Big enough for a rider now. Large enough for _Jon._

"It's okay," Jon whispers to her. "Don't be afraid of them." He looks back at the dragons, who had stopped roaring and now looked at both him and Dany with peculiar looks on their faces, either growling or mewling. "See? They're not going to hurt you. Go and speak with them."

Daenerys listens to his words, not moving her eyes from the dragons. Slowly, she approaches them, holding out her hands. At first, they seemed to dip their heads away, especially Viserion, who turns his head in the other direction. But as she came closer, both dragons turned their heads back to her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers, her emotions getting ahead of her finally. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you, my children…if Drogon had been with you I would have done it to him as well…but I regret everything…you're not meant to be caged or locked up…a dragon is not a slave. And I will not allow you be one anymore." Her hands now reach around Viseron's neck, who was quiet, looking at her pensively. With a hard tug, she undoes the mechanism within the chains, pulling them off.

They fall to the floor with a clang.

Viserion flexes his neck, letting out a screech that sounded of one of joy. Daenerys feels herself smile widely at that, taking a step back as he stretched his wings. Within seconds, Viserion suddenly flys out, breaking the whole entire wall as he did, letting out a loud roar as he did. It wasn't long before she heard him settle on the ground, walking along the lengths of the sand.

She turns her head to Rhaegal, aiming to free him next, but he was watching Jon. Completely.

Jon looks at her and she nods at him to move forward. "Free him," she urges softly.

He listens to her words and slowly approached the dragon. It doesn't stray from its spot, almost tilting its head as Jon moved closer. "I know, you know I'm new," Jon starts quietly, coming up to him. "But you better get used to me…I'm never going to be leaving your mother." Daenerys smiles at that. "How about we get these chains off of you, Rhaegal? That way you and I can get to know each other?"

Rhaegal lets out almost a soft screech, one that almost reminds her of when he was a babe. It made her heart clench. He was trying to trust Jon. He could sense who he was.

Jon's hands moved around the chain that was on his neck. He seemed to fuddle with it for a moment, not knowing how it quite worked, but once he figured it out, it fell to the ground with a thud as well. Rhaegal lets out another screech, this time stretching his wings and practically running/flying up to the door, where his brother had flown.

Daenerys makes the first steps, running up the stairs, with Jon following closely behind. Once the two reach the top, they stop and stare in awe above them.

Both Rhaegal and Viserion's calls had summoned Drogon. The three children soared above them in a circle, a reunion of dragons. Fire spewed from their mouths almost in happiness. Daenerys feels herself let out the softest breath of relief once Drogon flies through the night, wondering around with Viserion before Rhaegal takes a dip back down where they were. It seemed that no matter what, or where they went, they would always remain siblings. And that bond would never change.

Rhaegal eyes Jon when he lands, and he lowers his head towards him, looking at him eye to eye. Daenerys sees almost a look of amazement enter Jon's eyes as he walks forward, and gently holds out his hands to the dragon's snout. Within seconds, Rhaegal lets him move forward, petting the green and bronze scales along the edge of his head. Jon lets out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"I think you and I are going to be good friends," he whispers softly before taking a step back. Rhaegal lets out another screech before taking off into the sky once more, most likely aiming on joining his siblings. Jon watches with a smile before turning to Daenerys. "That was the most…amazing thing I've ever experienced with a dragon."

"What, better than riding Drogon?" she questions.

"It…it was almost like he was speaking to me." He glances at the ground. "I mean, obviously there were no words but…I could feel that he trusted me. The look in his eyes, it was…indescribable."

Daenerys grabs his hands in hers. "What just happened is that you bonded with him," she says softly. "Dragons can sometimes have multiple riders, but I always felt Rhaegal was…meant for someone else. And now I found that." She nods towards the sky. "I wanted us to do that so we have a chance tomorrow…a part of me wanted to see you fly, but I suppose that can wait for more…pressing matters."

He raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…we've put off what we wanted long enough. And seeing you with Rhaegal…only made me want it more," she states softly, but her hands messed with the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer slightly. "I think we should go back to _our_ chambers, don't you think?"

Oh, he _liked_ that. She could see the instant switch in his eyes from mischievousness to lust. And she loved to see that. "I think we should as well, my queen."

* * *

They practically ran back to their room. And as soon as the door was closed, Jon pushes her up roughly against the door, lips attacking hers, pulling her up into his arms so tightly she felt like she might faint but in a good way. If that made any sense. But that was what Jon did. He made her feel things she never felt before.

His hands work at her dress and trousers, but he doesn't even bother to try and undo the strings this time. Instead, he rips them off, sending both things to the ground. Her mouth opens in shock as she's left in just her small clothes after a moment, and he wastes no time with that either, pulling it off of her, so much so that it tears in two.

" _Jon,_ " she laughs, turning to her. He takes a step back a second later, and she watches as his eyes devour her body, looking at her up and down, filled with desire. Even with the scars, with the bruising, with everything, the fact that he still looked at her that way had her reeling with dizziness and the epitome of glee.

Then, with a single nod to the bed, he looks back to her. "Lay down. Now."

She raises an eyebrow at him. "Since when did you make the decisions?"

He steps forward, a hand set on her chin, tilting her head up. "You want me to be your king, correct?" She swallows, excitedly nervous, and nods. "Then do as he commands and _get on the bed._ "

She raises an eyebrow and bites her lip. "Whatever you say, my king," she murmurs, before laying down on the bed. Jon walks over to the bed, and for a moment he does the same thing he did before, his eyes watching her, devouring her, memorizing her, until he moves quickly and takes off his tunic. Once it was gone and she saw his exposed check, she loses control and yanks at his hand, pulling him down to the bed. She kisses him with a longing that she knew had been trapped within her for ages now. Ever since they got to Meereen. It was only now that she was letting it out.

He groans low within him, not removing his lips from her for a single second. After a moment he starts to trail kisses down her neck while her hands start to trace along his chiseled chest, gasping as he playfully nibbled at her, sending currents of pleasure throughout her body. His hands ran up her sides, along her waist, to her thighs, as if trying to remember the way she felt. At some point his hands slip up and attach themselves to her breasts, squeezing, making her moan loudly.

After a moment, she pushes him gently, straddling him now. For a moment she looks into his eyes and the two of them stilled for a second. The same type of feelings she had were mirrored back in his own, eyes covered in awe and desire, lust and love, everything she ever could have felt within his own. Her cheeks turned warm as a soft smile comes to her lips, almost shy, which he returns. A second later however he leans up from his position and attaches his lips to her once more, kissing her and pulling her back to the bed, a hand on the back of her neck.

Their kisses seemed to grow more frenzied with time, knowing that someone could interrupt them at any moment. Her hands fumbled with his trousers as did he, removing the last bit of clothing between them before they were utterly nude. She moved her hips against him, teasing him, need tightening within her. Jon groans at her and flips her back over to the bed, kissing her so wildly she felt like the world was going to fall apart and they would be completely okay.

It doesn't take long for him to spread her shaky legs, pressing down against her, aligning himself at her entrance, and then with one slow and steady motion, he presses into her. She gasps and holds onto him, her eyes closed and possibly rolled to the back of her head but she couldn't even tell at this point. He was nestled all the way within her, with his chest heaving, attempting to remain in control.

He started to move in long slow thrusts, pulling all the way out practically and pushing himself back inside. With each thrust she moans loudly, noting how he wasn't being so quiet either with each groan of his own. Not long after that, she urges him to go faster with a wiggle of her hips and he obeys the command, moving quickly but just as deep. Her heart was racing so quickly she felt like it might burst through her chest. The pleasure was overwhelming.

They were surely being loud – _very_ loud – but fuck it. They were the king and queen, no matter what happened. And she could fuck however hard she wanted to and scream as much as she wanted to. Who would stop them at this point?

But she was barely aware of how loud it truly was due to the need that was overwhelming her, the lust that coursed through her. She was so fucking close. She matched each of his thrusts, pushing from below, her fingernails clutching onto his back, probably leaving marks.

And then within seconds, his hand leaves her side and sinks between their bodies, a finger searching out that one little part of her that sends her over the edge once more. When he found it, a fire erupted throughout her body, engulfing her.

Her back arched off the bed as the feeling of utter pleasure washed over her. She cries out, riding out each wave as it comes over her. He moves even faster now, his thrusts started to become erratic, swift hard jabs inside of her until he gives out another guttural groan, his head buried deep in her neck, gripping her tightly.

It takes a moment for both of them to come down from their high until he pulls out of her gently. She winces at the feeling, her nerves and body still sparking from her release. After a moment, he lets out a deep breath, chuckling a bit before pulling her against him. "I fucking needed that."

Daenerys laughs at the response, before nodding her head. "I needed it as well, honestly." She leans in and kisses him softly, a kiss that was much less rough from before. He runs his hands gently all over her body as the couple embraces, sharing in their passion that night for the first time in a while.

But a few seconds later, there was a knock on the door.

Instantly Jon pulls away, glaring at the door, and opens his mouth, but Daenerys places a hand lightly on his chest. "We're going to be the rulers. You need to control your temper," she urges him.

Jon rolls his eyes and leans back on the bed. "I can't control it when they're interrupting us all the time."

She looks at him sadly, knowing that a part of it was true. She was just so used to it at this point. She turns her head back to the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me, your grace."

Jon brings a hand to his face, cursing quietly. She sighs. She knew they'd need to talk about his more. And sure as shit, here he was.

"Here, put on your pants again," she states, giving him his trousers.

"Just tell him to fuck off!" he whispers fiercely.

"I can't just do that, Jon. He's one of the leaders of my army," she responds back. "One of the leaders of the army _you_ could very well have to take back this world from the dead. We _need_ to treat him with at least _a little_ respect. Now put on your pants. We can be together _after._ "

Jon sighs a moment after, before getting up and pulling on the trousers. She grabs her silk robe that sat in the corner, quickly putting it over her marked body before coming to the door, tying it tight. As soon as she opens it, she sees the man, the myth, the _annoyance_ at this point of the day, Daario Naharis.

Her regal tone returns to her voice. "What is it, Daario? It's late."

"I'm sorry to _interrupt_ your little festivities, but I came to speak with you. May I come in?" he asks.

Daenerys glances at Jon, giving him a look that said 'play nice.' He raises his hands in defense, although she noted how weak it looked. She glances back at Daario and steps aside. He steps in a moment later, and his eyes instantly look back at Jon, who was leaning against the edge of the bed, trousers on but shirt still off.

As she closes the door she sees Jon subtly smirk at Daario's look of irritation. She better make this quick.

"Daario, what is it that you wish to speak about?" she quickly asks him.

"I don't understand you, Daenerys."

Her brow raises as she turns to face him. "What are you talking about?"

"I get that you went to the Wall. I do. Ser Barristan has always been smart in that regard. Meeting someone in your family that actually _knows_ something about dragons and ruling and all that is a smart thing to do. That was the Daenerys I knew back then. But coming back here with… _this man?_ What happened to your head?"

Instantly she feels exasperation come over her. "Daario-"

"No, no, I want to hear where you think this is clever," he responds back, gesturing to Jon. "You, for _ages,_ always said that the best way to align with someone is through marriage. Every one of your advisors did. I'm sure your uncle did as well. That would have been at least some way to end this war peacefully without any more deaths happening. It was at least worth a _shot_. And now you turn it down just because you're...what? Fucking your _nephew?_ "

"I'm not just fucking him," she spits back, her anger taking hold the moment he said that.

"Oh yeah? Then what would you call that fiasco there that I just heard because I for sure can call that fucking with how often we did it!"

"You know _nothing!_ " she suddenly snaps, pushing him roughly back. He actually stumbles a bit, staring at her sudden newfound strength. Jon had stayed quiet during this whole thing, which honestly, she appreciated. It meant he knew she could stand up for herself on this. She didn't need someone constantly behind her at every point, even if she appreciated it when the time did come.

His surprise vanishes a moment later, replaced by anger once more. "I don't? Then _tell_ me. You used to tell me _everything._ "

"I had no one, Daario," she bites back at him. "I was lonely. You were there. You filled that void for a time. It was what I needed until I went across the sea and found him. Our time together was fine but it's _over._ " She gestures out the balcony. "You have no idea of what I have gone through. You have no idea of what Jon and I have seen and done together. I was nearly killed and he saved me. He _was_ actually killed and I saved him. We are _meant_ to be together. There's no political alliance or anything that could possibly ever replace what we have. When I'm with him, I feel something that I never felt with you."

"And what is that?" he mutters, his voice filled with silent rage.

"Love."

The silence was deafening. His eyes narrowed at her. Hers were at his. There was fire within them. She was quite sure that the only reason Daario was refraining from hitting her was that she was the queen and could have him killed in a second.

"I love Jon with my whole entire heart," she whispers, her anger now turning into adoration. "I would give my life for him. I would do anything to make sure that he was safe and protected and treated the way he should be. I would sail the ends of the earth and back again if he vanished from my life. I _can't_ live without him…and that's more than I could ever say for you."

She does see hurt appear in his gaze, but he had said so many things that it doesn't affect her anymore.

"So yes, I am fucking my nephew," she responds, her tone becomes spiteful once more. “But I'm not just fucking him. I'm with him. I'm _ruling_ with him. We aren't just the last two Targaryens…we're the last two dragons, the last two that can bring peace to the realm. We are _going_ to marry. And we are _going_ to end this war and conquer Westeros together. And if you can't accept that…then you need to leave."

His brow raises at her. "You'd give up a whole entire army just for this man?"

"I would. In a heartbeat. If you can't give Jon the same respect that you gave me, I can't have you serving me. So either you accept it, or you _go._ "

Daario shakes his head, looking at the ground. For a moment, the man was silent.

"What did you expect would happen, Daario?" she asks him. "Even if I _did_ marry for an alliance, did you expect me to just bring you along? Have you be my lover on the side? You knew exactly what you were signing up for when you started to be with me."

"Honestly you could do better in that regard too," she hears Jon mutter.

That seems to break Daario, the one single comment from Jon, and he pulls out his sword, aiming it at him. Daenerys' eyes widen at the sudden attack. "I don't want to hear a fucking _word_ from you."

But Jon doesn't seem scared or shocked. Instead, he stands from the bed, chuckling a bit. "Daario, I really want to know – she's right. What did you think was going to happen? Did you think you were going to marry her?"

"What, so you're treating this like a game now? Who wins her heart?" Daario hisses.

"I don't think of my adoration for Daenerys as a game, but if _you_ do – which is quite fucked up, honestly – you need to stop flattering yourself. You were never even a player." He walks over to Daario, the edge of the fighter's sword up against Jon's chest. "You could try and kill me right now to _attempt_ to win this game but I'm quite positive she would kill you after that."

Daario's shoulders move up and down with each angry breath he took. "For someone who says he's going to marry her, you haven't told the rest of the men yet. Sounds suspicious."

"Excuse me if I wanted to propose to the love of my life somewhere that's not in a dingy, dirty Castle in freezing temperatures," Jon quips. "But please, keep trying to come up with excuses."

"That's it," Daario mutters. "You want to fight me for her? Then let's do it, you son of a bitch."

"Daario, that's _enough!"_ Daenerys snaps.

"No, it's fine, Dany."

Daenerys turns her gaze to Jon, who continues to stare down Daario. "Jon-"

"On any normal day I respect what you're saying, but clearly, he can't get this through his head. Maybe my sword can help. So I _accept_ this duel, as you say." He looks over at Daenerys as he walks to where his sword was and winks at her. She raises her brow, thinking he was insane. The madness had gotten to him.

She takes a couple of steps back, watching Daario raise his sword. Jon takes out Blackfyre, holding it tightly in his hands. He nods at Daario.

"Here. Attack me. I give you first draw."

Even Daario seemed to be shocked at Jon giving him the advantage, but he doesn't question it. Instead, he steps forward with a quick swing, yelling out angrily. And that was the beginning of the end.

Jon easily blocks and parry's his hit so hard that it sends Daario's sword flying out of his hand, his grip apparently not hard enough to take on the Valyrian steel of Jon's sword. Once that was out, Jon swings Blackfyre into Daario, slicing at his stomach, and then at his legs. The sellsword cries out in pain but doesn't stop, going to grab at his sword in the distance.

But Jon stops that almost as soon as he takes a step. He hits Daario with his body, sending him to the ground, and once he had fallen Jon places the sword on the back of Daario's neck, holding him still in his spot. Blood was getting onto the floor from his wounds. Daenerys watches in surprise as Jon kneels down to where Daario laid, who was struggling to get up.

"You know, Daenerys told me you were a good fighter. I suppose you weren't ready for the power of what a sword like this can do. Pity." He presses the sword a bit deeper into the skin. The look of anger on Daario's face begins to shift to one of fear. "On a normal day, I would have killed you. I would have slit that neck of yours and watched as the life drained from your eyes. But because I care about Dany's army – and the floor of this room – I'll spare you today with this message."

He moves his sword and then leans down, pulling the weakened Daario up and pushing him high up against the wall. His hand was holding the sellswords shirt so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"If you _ever_ threaten my position with Daenerys again, or even _try_ to insist that she's making the wrong decision, I will not only tear you apart limb by limb but make sure that Rhaegal gets a bite to eat after. You may not believe what I say now, but with time, I will make sure there will be no doubts about my devotion to her. And while I know I haven't done what she has done, I am still her _partner._ And I refuse to let some measly man like you go against that and possibly hurt her because of your fucking _jealousy._ Do you understand me?" Jon whispers, his voice laced with venom.

It was almost scary. His body acted differently with the way he held Daario, but his tone and eyes were completely calm. Only if you knew how Jon talked could you understand how he was acting this way.

His grip tightens on Daario. "Do. You. Understand. Me?"

"Yes, I do," Daario chokes out, gripping at his hand. "I apologize for challenging you just…please let me down."

Jon watches him quietly for a second before dropping him, taking a step back. Daario coughs as he stands, wincing in pain, the blood still seeping from his clothes. Daenerys watches in silence as he walks over to the edge of the room, grabbing the sword Jon had knocked out, before turning to them.

He doesn't speak. He could see the anger, the humiliation, the fear, all crossed in his eyes when he looked at Jon. But there were no words.

Instead, he bows. And with one last gaze, he walks out.

The door slams behind them. Daenerys finally turns her gaze to Jon, who didn't seem to show any change in emotion before he picks up Blackfyre and places it gently back in its sheath. He goes to look at her and lets out a long sigh. "Well, that was something."

" _Something?_ " she asks him, her brow raised. "Fuck, I…I don't know what that might have caused." She runs her hands through her messy hair, looking at herself in the mirror. "Daario might withdraw the Second Sons now that he…that I…" She swallows, her eyes moving to the ground, nerves racking her.

But instead of a response on that, she hears a quiet voice ask from behind, "You love me?"

The question startles her and she turns lightly to see Jon looking at her, a soft smile on his lips. One of her own comes. "I thought it was already implied at this point," she states.

"I know but…we never really said it to each other," he says, standing up from the bed and walking over to her. "We've been so focused on other things."

Daenerys sighs, glancing at the ground. "Truthfully, I've just been…nervous." She moves her eyes back to his once more, violet on grey. "I feel that any time I've been close to loving someone or care for them they've…died. And I don't…I _can't…_ the very thought of losing you hurts. I can't imagine what it would be like if it actually happened." His hands rest gently on her hips, pulling her closer to him. She feels herself let out a relaxed sigh. "But, I…I love you, Jon. As terrifying as it is, I do. With every part of me. Mind, soul, body…I can't do this without you."

He leans down and presses his lips against hers, but compared to some of the other kisses, this one held so much promise. It was almost like she could see the future. The joyfulness that spread through her, the love that she felt envelope her whole body. It was amazing. It was euphoric. It was _him._

When he pulls away, he smiles softly, forehead pressed against hers. "I never thought I'd get to say those words," he starts out gently. "I…I thought I knew what love was but I didn't until I got to meet you, to know you, to touch you and be with you…to _love_ you. Every part of me wants to make sure that you are happy, and safe, and secure…and you're right. The very thought of losing you is horrifying." He brings a hand up to rest on her cheek, wiping away tears that had escaped during his words. "So, in response to what you said…I love you too, Daenerys."

She lets out a soft laugh, one that was filled with nervousness but happiness all the same. He does as well, holding her close to him. They kiss once more before he pulls away, letting her turn back around in front of the mirror. His hands wrap around from behind, looking at her in the reflection.

"Seven hells, that felt good to say," he murmurs.

She smiles at the response. "It does, doesn't it?"

His forehead rests on top of hers, hands holding her own. "Don't worry about Daario, my dragon." She glances up at him when he says that. "You have me behind you. You have the Unsullied behind you. You even have people back in Westeros behind you. If he leaves you because you want to marry and be with another person, then he was never a good ally. It was always a condition with him. He would be stupid to do it."

"I know," she mumbles, turning away. "I'm only…thinking of what could happen. If we lose our army…everything we work towards just…gone. Like that. I don't want to think about that."

Jon leans down and presses a soft kiss to the back of her head. "Then let's not. For ten minutes, an hour, tonight…let's think about the future." His hands rest at her waist, looking at her again through the mirror. "Think about the moment you sit on that throne, what you've been working for. Think of how amazing it will feel, to know that you'll have everything at your fingertips. You'll have me right there along with you."

A smile of peace came over her lips, and she nods, closing her eyes to imagine it. "We need another throne if you're going to rule beside me."

"Then we can do that, make one this time out of the swords of the Lannister's army," he promises gently, hands moving along her waist to her shoulders. "And then we can make a beautiful crown to sit on top of your head, one that's fit for a queen."

"And one for a king," she points out.

"I know," he chuckles. "I know, but I always think of you first, you know that." His hands rest near her stomach now. "We'll be able to prepare everything, make sure that people are getting what they need, fight back against the dead…bring peace to Westeros once more, no matter who serves us or our cause." He presses a kiss to her neck this time, the small movement causing her to shiver slightly. "And down the road, we'll have three little Targaryen's running around the castle walls, causing mischief. Probably giving the dragons grief."

She laughs, although a part of her still felt pain at the idea of not getting that future. "I want that more than anything," she whispers.

"Open your eyes, Dany." She does as he says, looking at each other in the mirror. His hands were resting on her stomach, his head now next to hers, arms keeping her safe. "Do you see what I see?" Her eyes look to him in the reflection. "What I see is a powerful duo. One that's capable of anything. And I know that if we try hard enough, every single thing we want will come true, regardless of who supports us. We're the last dragons…the heirs to the throne. We can do this. Together." After a moment, he turns her around, hands on her hips now. And with a soft response, he whispers, "Ānogar ānograro."

Her heart stops and clenches a million times as tears start to stream from her eyes again, and a grin so wide spread across her cheeks. He had been learning High Valyrian for her. He had said, ' _blood of my blood._ '

Instantly, she jumps into his arms, lips on his, and that was all the motivation that he needed to bring them back to the bed once more. But it was more than just sex or love or anything else that was driving her. It was just _him._

He gave her the confidence to let what happened tonight go. Fuck everyone else who didn't want them. Who left them. Jon was right. If this was what changed Daario, then he was never a supporter to begin with. And she would make sure he would be executed if he did.

Together, they could do anything. And if their enemies had something to say about it, then they would take what was theirs, through fire and blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, did anyone have any doubt that Jon would cut down Daario?
> 
> Also, before I get the comments saying "Daario is a good swordsman, he wouldn't go down that easily," i'd like to point out quickly that a) he's not in a good state of mind right now, boy just found out his chick is marrying another man and is in love with him, so prob not the best fighter and b) Jon in general is much better than him in canon so honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it happened like that if they were to meet in the show/books. Just wanted to put it out there really quickly!
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as your comments always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you all. You've all been so understanding and amazing, especially with my time changes and job updates, so thank you all for everything! I've loved all your advice and suggestions and comments so please let me know what you think - you are all so amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! 
> 
> Next up: Jon has some important conversations with valuable members of Dany's team, as well as everyone's favorite annoyance, Daario Naharis. The Battle of Meereen takes place.


	20. The Battle of Meereen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon talks with some of Dany's most 'trusted' advisors, and the Masters have an ultimatum - but so do Daenerys and Jon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the amazing response on the last chapter! All of your comments made me so happy and made me want to write this out for all of you despite this week being super busy for me so I hope you enjoy this chapter. Gotta get to the Battle of Meereen. And it's gonna be good. I hope ya'll are ready :)

_Jon_

When he opened his eyes, he thought he was in a dream.

This didn't feel real. The fact that he was here in this room, with a wonderful sunrise in this absolutely astonishing warm temperature…there was no way this was his life. He had to still be Lord Commander at the Wall. Thorne was still being an asshole to him. It was still freezing.

And yet, when he felt the soft, naked body of Daenerys move next to him, he knew all too well that this was _very real._

His eyes opened sleepily before everything started to become clear again. He could see the whole city – along with the ships of the Slavers – in the distance. The room almost felt impossibly bright with the reflection of the sun hitting the golden walls and the mirrors around them. He feels the bed dip beneath him as he leans up. Gods, that had to have been the _best_ sleep of his life.

He looks over to Daenerys' sleeping form and feels himself smile. The bed still smelt of what they had done last night – _multiple_ times. It seemed after his little interaction with Daario she hadn't been able to keep her hands off of him. Shit, he wasn't complaining. He found it hard to keep his own hands off of her.

They hadn't talked about Daario afterward, which was fine with him. He didn't want to think about what he had done last night. But what Jon was honestly proud about was that he knew he scared the shit out of him…without _effectively_ hurting him. Something he was getting _quite_ good at. In the past, he'd let some of his rage take over but now…he had a feeling he was learning how to _use_ it. And that was what Dany needed. Someone who didn't embrace it but utilized it.

He was trying everything in his power to be the man that Dany deserved. And after hearing her say that she loved him the night prior, he was going to try a trillion times as hard. Those words leaving her sweet lips, it had all been over. A part of Jon wanted to just take her away somewhere. Have it be just the two of them. Have them live out their days together. But that wasn't what they were meant to do. And it was time he embraced that duty instead of run away from it.

Who said that kings and queens couldn't take vacations either way?

He leans down and presses a gentle kiss to the nape of her neck, pushing her silver locks out of the way and to the side. She shuffles in her sleep for a second but doesn't awaken. He takes the moment to stare at her beauty, running a hand along her back, stroking her soft skin. She turns around softly, still asleep, and for a moment he sees her scars along her body. The ones from Thorne's attack on her the first day. Others from training. And then the big one – which was still healing – from Hardhome.

Looking at it brought on a tidal wave of emotions, different ones that crashed against each other. Anger, fear, sadness, vengeance. All he wanted was to somehow get back at those fuckers for hurting her. He wanted to make sure that they paid, for everything. For everyone they had lost. But at the same time, he knew she wanted that too. She wasn't some damsel in a tower that needed to be saved – Daenerys could save herself, as could he, but he knew together, they were stronger. And that's what it would be like, for the rest of their days, as long as they could.

He strokes her cheek before turning away finally, standing up to grab his trousers from the floor along with the tunic, but remembers he had brought along a damn bag for a reason – might as well use it. So he walks over and quickly picks out a different shirt, knowing that today wasn't the day to look his best or whatever. To be honest, he didn't really care. The more he was adjusting himself to this lifestyle, the more he started to realize that the luxury and riches part didn't really matter to him.

He could have no coin, have no clothes, and have the shirt stolen from his back, but if he could somehow help people in the position he was in, that was what he cared about. He'd be happy to give away any money to the people who needed it.

As he stands, he glances outside. He might as well make this a peaceful morning while he still could. And maybe explore the pyramid a little. Getting Dany breakfast back at the Wall had been a simpler task, but since he knew he'd have to explore this area a bit more, he decided it worth the shot to treat her to something good.

Jon heads out of the room, shutting the door silently behind him as to not wake her up, and makes his way down the hallways. It was astounding, how large this place was. Growing up in Winterfell, he thought that would be the extent of amazing structures he would see. The Wall was a sight to behold, don't get him wrong, but it wasn't like there were a thousand little rooms within the icy structure. This, as almost as large as it was as the Wall, had a maze that seemed to lead him to everything.

He saw multiple chambers for people to sleep in, meeting rooms, areas that lead outside, to the dungeons. He could see some abandoned chambers that could have once been for children at a time, or for house animals. At one point, as he descended down the stairs, he passed by what seemed to be a throne room, and he could only imagine what Dany had seen in there. It wasn't really a throne, per se – more like a bench that seemed to be quite big – but he could picture her up there, looking as beautiful as she always does. Ruling and taking people down.

As he moves further, he heads down to what seemed to be a kitchen, of some sort. Jon had never spent a crazy amount of time in kitchens when he was younger, but he knew at least the _basics_ of what to make. Usually, because Lady Catelyn wouldn't let him sit with them sometimes so he'd have to rely on himself. But he was no longer in that position. Now, he was free of that tyranny.

Alright, maybe not tyranny. That was taking it too far. But free of the bullshit that happened for so many years. A part of him knew that he would always hold a grudge towards his uncle for keeping that secret from him, for so long, but at the same time, there was nothing he could do about it. He just had to keep moving forward.

He steps into the kitchen, looking at the marble and gold walls that even seemed to adorn this place. Seven hells, how long had they spent building all of this? It was amazing. He could only imagine the stories this place must tell and have hidden. Jon wished he had the ability to see them all.

As he walks in, however, he was surprised to see another person in there as well. When she turns, she jumps, not realizing he was there, and brings a hand to her chest, over her heart. "Are all Westerosi men this quiet?"

Jon laughs. It was Missandei.

"Only the good ones. We tend to keep to ourselves," he quips before coming forward, reaching out and holding out his hand. "We haven't formally met. Jaehaerys."

Missandei smiles, although a bit shyly, and shakes his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your grace."

Yup, still felt strange to hear someone say that. But he was _slowly_ getting there.

He lets his hand drop a moment later. "Daenerys has told me much about you. What you two have been through."

Missandei looks to the counter, grabbing what seemed to be a tray of food. Damn, she had beaten him to it. "She saved me," she says softly, turning to him. "I grew up as a slave and was going to die one…she saw the value in me and took me at her side. Without her…I don't know what I would have done. She's changed my life. For the better."

"She seems to do that a lot, doesn't she?" Jon muses a bit. "She's quite the woman." He looks at the tray and sighs. "You came here before me, damn it."

Her brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I like to serve her breakfast whenever I can," Jon admits. "Back at the Wall, we didn't sleep together, but we tended to have breakfast together all the time. I wanted to sort of treat her to something different considering this is the first time we've really been alone without the brothers around us. But if you already got her food ready I won't stop you."

Missandei tilts her head slightly. "You'd…willingly serve her?"

Jon raises an eyebrow. "I don't look at it as serving…sort of as a gesture," he says softly. "I love her with my whole heart. I want her to know that. You can't just admit to someone that you love them and then all of a sudden stop showing that you care. I've never wanted to be that man if I ever had someone. And now that I have her, I don't want to let that go."

Missandei smiles at that. "That's very sweet of you, Jaehaerys."

"It shouldn't have to be sweet. It should just be normal," he responds quietly. "But thank you. I try – considering I never had anyone like her before."

Missandei looks down at the tray. "So you two…are together?"

Jon looks to her as she glances back at him, and he nods. "Yes, we are…does that bother you?"

"Oh, no," she instantly states. "I couldn't care less who the Queen was with as long as he or she made her happy, whatever she wants. She's been through a lot, and I've been through it with her for some time now. She only deserves happiness." She glances outside. "I remember even when she began to sleep with Daario, I held my tongue because she _seemed_ happy. And that's what matters. But…to be honest, she never looked at him the way I saw her look at you yesterday."

Well, if that didn't inflate his ego _just_ a bit. But it still felt amazingly good. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yes. She's never had that look in her eye. She's told me she's only ever loved one other man, and that was Khal Drogo, but even that she said it didn't feel like true love. The way she stares at you…it's the epitome of it. It's something everyone wants. I don't know what happened while she was gone and with you but I'm incredibly thankful for it."

Jon smiles a bit and nods. "Thank you…I'm trying to make sure she never has to feel that alone again."

"Good." She looks at the tray and then hands it to him. He looks at her in surprise. "I've never seen a man want to come down and serve his wife or his lover or anything like that in my life. It's something I've never gotten to see…you can tell her I made the meal but I want you to give it to her…have your gesture of love. I'll see her anyway for dressings."

Jon gently takes the tray, smiling at the young woman. "Thank you, this means a lot, Missandei."

"You're welcome, your grace." She bows her head to him, and then leaves around the corner, leaving him alone. Jon looks at the tray and feels himself sigh softly, almost happily. It seemed that she was surrounded by good people. And Missandei seemed to be the best version.

But he knew he needed to remain cautious around others. For just a bit more.

* * *

When he heads up to about halfway to her chambers, he hears talking from inside another. Two male voices.

His curiosity gets the better of him and he steps to the door, knocking lightly. Instead of the male voices answering, he is instead greeted by a guard, an Unsullied. He sees that there were a couple of others in the room as well.

"Uh…" Shit, he had been practicing High Valyrian on his own for this _exact reason._ What the hell did he say to them? "Qilōni…iksis isse kesīr?" he attempts, trying to ask who was in the room. A moment later the Unsullied steps to the side, nodding to a table that was in the corner near a window. Jon steps inside and his brow raises at what he sees.

There near the corner was Jorah and Tyrion, talking quietly. Just as he had suggested yesterday, there were _multiple_ guards in here watching their every move. They seemed like they were eating something related to breakfast. Tyrion raises a glass to him. "Good to see you, Jaehaerys."

Jon glances back at the guards. "Um…henujagon īlva sagon," he commands, praying that what he said made sense. But, it seemed it did, as the moment he said that the Unsullied bowed their heads and stepped out of the room together as one. Jon's brow raises. Maybe his Valyrian was getting better than he thought it was.

He turns his gaze back to the two men and lowers the tray with Dany's breakfast to a small table next to him. "Ah, I see the traitor and the kinslayer are having a meeting. Nice to see."

"We aren't planning your queen's death, if that's what you're assuming," Tyrion quips back. "And we don't plan to in the near or distant future. We only wanted to speak to each other considering this man here is the one who kidnapped me." He gestures to Jorah, who was quiet.

Jon pulls over a chair, taking a seat next to him. "You've been awfully silent ever since the queen decided to give you a second chance," Jon remarks.

"To be completely honest, I don't want to fuck it up more than I already have," he says, looking back at him. "I thought that she was going to behead me the moment I stepped back in. That's what she threatened when she banished me the first time. But the last thing I want is for my second chance to be ruined by my perpetual mouth."

Jon glances over at where Tyrion was. "They were watching you as well, weren't they?"

"They were. Which was a smart move by the queen. I don't blame her. I am still a stranger." He looks back at Jon. "You, however, don't seem to be to her."

"I'm her family."

"You know very well what I'm referring to."

Jon glances at Jorah and sees him looking away. He leans back against the chair, arms crossed. "Alright, so the queen and I are involved. What's it to you?"

"It's nothing to me. I'm just worried about what the people of Westeros might think about another possible…coupling between two people of the same house."

"Oh fucking please," Jon snorts. "You are the last person to be speaking about that. Your sister and brother fuck each other. You are the _product_ of those relations. And there are plenty of houses and regular people too who have done it. I truly think no one is going to give a flying shit who she fucks once they see who she is as a person."

"I know that I have no right to talk, but there are other houses that don't do that and they might not support it. Remember, you might have grown up with royals but you were never trained to know them with who you are. I have been in the Red Keep for years now. I know how some of these families work. Some are not going to be happy about that."

Jon lets out a deep breath, looking at the dwarf. "Alright…then what do you suppose we do about those people because Daenerys and I surely aren't going to just let what we have go." There was another look of uncomfortableness in Jorah's eyes. Jon fights the urge to roll his own. "Jorah, I'm the reason you are here right now, correct?"

The older man turns to look at him, nodding. "Yes."

"So why is it that whenever I mention my relationship with the queen you turn away as if I have burned you?" Before Jorah could speak, Jon continues. "Look, I know that you love her. It's hard not to. She's a fantastic woman that I have the privilege to call my own. But, if you are going to continue to act like that every single time I mention her and me, I will make sure you don't stay here."

Jorah's brow furrows a second later. "I…Jo-"

"It's _Jaehaerys,"_ Jon corrects him, before continuing on. "The _only_ reason that you are here right now and not banished is that we need fighters. Protectors. And your father always talked highly of your skills. Not because of the past, or what you two have gone through. She was ready to kick you out – that shit doesn't mean anything to her if you don't prove yourself again. But, if your _feelings_ for her are going to get in the way of your skills, you can leave right now, because I will not allow that in her presence or in mine. So either you get over it that she's found someone else, or you can find some other woman to fawn after. Either one works for me as long as you can fight. But if you can't, you're done. Is that understood?"

The older man seemed shocked at Jon's reprimanding but doesn't seem to want to retort. All he does is bow his head and glance away. "Yes, Jaehaerys."

"Great. Glad we're on the same page." He looks back at Tyrion, whose brow was raised with his goblet in his hands. "What now?"

"Nothing," the dwarf chuckles. "You've just changed a lot."

"Well, that happens when you come back from the dead," Jon mutters before nodding again. "What were you going to say about the queen and me?"

Tyrion lowers his wine before speaking again. "Combine your claims."

"We were already going to do that."

"No, I mean _soon._ As _soon as possible._ " Tyrion stands, his small body starting to pace in the room. "I was thinking about this all night while the two of you had your _festivities._ But it's the right thing to do. Think about it. You have a stronger claim than her by who you are as a man, and not only that but the son of Rhaegar. He was the one who was in line for the throne next. The people of Westeros _will_ use that against you two because they might not feel okay with a woman ruler. But, if you two were to come to Westeros with your claims already combined, then no one has a say."

Jon bites his lip, looking at the table. "I know." He looks back at Tyrion. "I know it would be good."

"Then what's _stopping_ you?"

"Daenerys deserves more than just a quick marriage by a tree or a septon or whatever," Jon responds back. "She and I have been through so much fucking shit and she deserves a day where she can just drink and dance and be happy. Not something like this. I want to make sure it's special for her…and that's that."

"Well, that does sound like a fairytale," Tyrion quips. "But as you know, Westeros is anything but. You need to think of not only your future but hers as well. You have to make sure that everything she has been working towards – and what you're helping her towards – won't be ruined."

Jon nods quietly, letting his words sink in. He wanted to propose to her. He wanted to marry her, _fuck,_ if Jon could have his way, none of this would matter. They'd be off in Essos somewhere fucking until the sun came up and trying to live a normal life. But that wasn't who they were. And Tyrion was right…as soon as they could, they needed to marry. To stop anyone from hurting her.

He stands a moment later, looking to the two of them. "I'll bring it to the queen's attention…I'm quite sure you two were the first I've told about it." The two of them seemed to look at him in confusion. "Of me wanting to…marry the queen."

"It's not hard to figure that out considering you give a look of murder at each man that has looked at her," Tyrion muses.

"Touché," Jon responds before walking back over to the tray. "We'll see you at the meeting soo-"

"Jaehaerys?" The name stops him, and Jon turns to face Jorah, who was standing up from his chair once more. "I know my intentions with the queen in the past have been less than ideal, but know that this will never be the case again." Jon nods once, growing a bit impatient. "And know that no matter what…I _am_ incredibly thankful for your faith in me. If not for you, I…I would be dead. And I'm extremely grateful. More than words can describe. Thank you…if my father thought you were a good man, then I have no choice but to believe that as well."

Jon feels a slight smile come over his lips, thankful to hear that from Jorah before he nods quietly. "That's good to hear…I'm glad we can agree with that." A sudden thought crosses his mind. _Fuck._ Longclaw. That wasn't his family's sword. That was the _Mormont's._ And it had been _lost_ in Hardhome.

Good gods, how was he going to tell Jorah about this? He didn't even know where to begin. Well, now was most certainly not the time to do so.

But shit…something on the burner, he assumed.

"Be prepared. We'll be ready in a couple of hours," he says quietly, to which the two men nod. Jon grabs the tray once more and heads out, before nodding to the Unsullied guards that were waiting outside to go back in. Once the doors close behind him and the Unsullied are back in there watching them, he continues on his way back up to the Daenerys' chambers.

* * *

When he reaches the floor right above her chambers, he hears another voice that stops him – this one completely unwanted. And when he turns around, his grip on the tray tightens.

Daario.

"Look," Jon mutters. "I don't want to-"

"I'm not here to do that again," Daario quickly states. He could see the man was avoiding his gaze, glancing at the ground. To Jon a bit of that annoyed him as if he was too afraid to look him in the eye. But right now wasn't the time to address that. He needed to make his way back to Dany.

"Alright, then what for? Because I have a bit of a schedule," Jon states, gesturing towards the stairs that lead upwards.

"I…did a lot of thinking last night," Daario starts, and finally the man's eyes look up. Jon only notices then that he had bags under his eyes. It seemed he had been up the whole entire evening. "And I wanted to say a couple of things to you. Only you."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"I apologize for what I said. What I did." The man lets out a slow sigh. Jon could tell this was hard for him. But a part of Jon was also laughing internally at his struggles. "It wasn't my place to do so. I know that it's always been the queen's decision who she is with. That has always been what it comes down to…I was only upset that it wasn't me. I didn't think it would end up being us but the reality was…a lot. It made me snap. I'm sorry for dueling you…I didn't stand a chance."

Jon slowly nods. "Alright, well…it's not really me you need to apologize to."

"I know that. I do. But…I also wanted to say I'm not taking out the Second Sons." He glances at the ground once more. "What you did last night was…honorable, as much as I hate to admit it. You could have pushed that off where you'd embarrass me in front of the people I command. You didn't. You ended it right then and there…and I acknowledge that despite the injures I took." He looks back at him. "When I joined Daenerys, yes, I thought she was beautiful. She is. But I saw a conqueror. A powerful woman that deserved an army behind her back. But since arriving here, she's become more of a leader. And more so with you, at least from what I saw yesterday…and I swore myself to her. I'm not going to let…whatever you two have stop that."

"…that's mature of you."

"I'm a grown man," Daario snaps. "I can make my own decisions. I was upset last night – I mean, imagine if you were in my place. She suddenly disappears without a trace and shows up with not only her nephew but her _lover…_ shit is hard to imagine but here it is, in plain sight. But all I'm saying is that…I'm okay. And I'm sorry."

Jon looks at him, eyes narrowed. It seemed that the man was telling the truth, however, Jon knew better. He knew that sometimes, people said whatever they needed to get by. And both he and Daario knew it was either apologize or be killed. So he chose the less-deadly option, woo-fucking-hoo. Less fun for Jon.

But, in a way, they did need the Second Sons. They needed the army. They needed men, soldiers. And Jon wasn't about to turn away extra help that they desperately needed just because of his suspicions. All he could do now was keep an eye on Daario while using his men to their advantage. Maybe he could somehow switch the Second Sons over to him. That would be a change. Make Daario obsolete.

For now, it would stay in the back of his mind. But Jon reaches out his hand to him, keeping the tray steady in his other. "Alright then…we can call a truce."

Daario looks to his hand and nods, shaking it once. With that, he bows his head. "Thank you for listening…your grace." The sellsword turns around and Jon holds in a chuckle until the man was out of sight. Now _that_ was something that was worth seeing again. Daario kissing up to him.

Jon shakes his head, chuckling again, before making his final steps up the stairs.

* * *

When Jon opened the door finally to Daenerys' chambers, he was expecting a sleeping woman in bed, just waking up. But instead, as soon as he walks in, he feels himself still slightly. There, in the corner near the table, was Daenerys in her dressing gown, but with Greyworm beside her.

His love looks up and smiles at him while the Unsullied shows no emotion, speaking to her quickly in High Valyrian, too quick for Jon to understand. She speaks back just as quickly, a look of seriousness crossing her features. Greyworm seems to realize her tone and takes a step back, bowing his head before leaving the room. He throws a look at Jon before the door closes. As soon as it does, Jon slowly turns to Daenerys with a raised brow. "Did I do something wrong?"

Daenerys sighs and shakes her head, standing up from the chair. "No, you did nothing wrong. Greyworm is just…protective." She heads over to the bed, sitting at the edge. "He was the leader the Unsullied chose to command their ranks, and ever since then he's been fiercely loyal – to the point where he's quite, uh…distrustful of men who come close to me. When Daario first joined Greyworm fought him hard every single day. I tried to convince him that you're not bad and you're not someone to distrust, but he's…hard to persuade."

Jon shrugs a bit, coming over to the bed. "Well, if you can't convince him, I suppose that'll be my job." He smiles a bit as he lowers the food. "I wanted to bring you your first meal in bed but, uh… a lot of interruptions on the way up."

"Aw…you didn't have to do that," she says softly before leaning up and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "Trust me, I wanted to stay in bed but Greyworm came knocking to talk about battle plans and where we were going to do. What the Seconds Sons were planning on doing down below…we had to talk it over before everything takes place." She takes a bite of what seemed to be eggs from the chickens nearby, and a piece of warmed bread, buttered. "Did you make this?"

"Actually, no," Jon admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "That was the first side-track. I ran into Missandei."

"Oh, did you?" she asks. "How was it?"

"It was nice. I really got to talk with her…she cares for you deeply, as anyone would. She heard what I wanted to do and gave me the meal to give to you. Apparently, it's strange to see a man do so – I hate the world," he mutters before glancing at the ground. "On my way up, however, I, um...stopped at a room that was guarded. Tyrion and Jorah were having a chat." Her brow raises slightly. "Don't worry, they were watched the whole time, and when I was in there they actually seemed like they were trying to talk about what to do next with your ruling…Jorah and I…lashed it out."

Instantly her hands freeze as she bringing another spoonful of eggs to her mouth. "What do you mean _lashed it out?_ Jon, I swear to the gods, if you and he fought I-"

"We didn't fight," Jon chuckles a bit. "I just called him out for what he was doing and his feelings for you and shut them down. I'm not about to let some other love-sick man get in the way of people who need to fight. And he understood that." Daenerys raises an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"You know I could have handled that myself."

Jon glances at the floor. "I know. But you know me. I don't like to think of some other guy…thinking about you like _that._ I saw the opportunity so I took it." He glances back at her. "Are you upset at me for doing so?"

Daenerys smiles and shakes her head. "No, Jon, I'm not. I just need to make sure I speak with him too is all. Can't have one leader doing all the talking."

Jon takes her hand in his, biting his lip. "Tyrion also gave some advice to me."

"Oh, really? What did the dwarf say now?"

"That was should get married sooner," he admits, causing her to look up in surprise. "He thinks if we combine our claims soon, and come to Westeros as that, they can't use that against us. We'll be united."

"Well…I don't see any problem with that," she responds.

Jon sighs. "I…I want to do something more though." He glances away. "I want to make sure that you're given a proper wedding or at least…something better than what my father and mother had, wedded in secret. All I want is to give you more than what you ever got and I feel like that's…not it."

Daenerys smiles up at him before taking both of his hands in her, pushing the tray to the side. "Oh Jon…you are too sweet." She leans up and kisses him once more, the soft peck making him smile against her lips. When she pulls away, she squeezes his hands. "You don't need to give me a big lavish party to show me that you love me."

"Bu-"

" _But_ nothing," she interrupts, her hold only tightening. "All I need is to be there with the man I love and a couple of close loved ones. I don't need gifts or lavishes or anything like that. All I need is _you._ " Her hand comes up to cup his cheek, and he feels himself melt against it as he looked into her violet eyes, full of adoration. "I _love_ you, Jon. I don't love festivals or anything else. I only love _you._ That's all I need to go on."

Jon pulls her into his arms, kissing her once more. It seemed within seconds she was on his lap, arms wrapped around his neck, bodies flush together once more. Kissing her felt like it did the first time, just as heavenly and beautiful. Everything felt right in the world, even though it wasn't.

When he pulls back, he smirks at her. "Alright then, my dragon…I'll _think_ about it."

Her brow raises. "You'll _think_ about it? What the hell does that mean?" At his grin, she rolls her eyes. "Please, you could never go a day without me."

"You are right in that regard," Jon murmurs, before kissing her again. A moment later, however, he pulls back, realizing the last part. "Oh, and Daario apologized."

Daenerys snorts. "He did _what?_ Daario Naharis _apologizing?_ "

"I know, I know, I was just as shocked as you. But turns out he _actually_ has a head on his shoulders," Jon quips. "He apologized for last night, said that he was out of term and that he shouldn't have done what he did, and wanted to remain loyal to you. The whole schtick."

Her brow raises. "Don't tell me you believe him."

Jon laughs. "Of course I don't. Man is clearly still in love with you." He brushes away the hair from her forehead, pushing it behind her ear, stroking her cheek as his hand comes down. "But we need his armies. We need his men. We can't let something like this be what separates us and them. I say we just keep a close eye on him and make sure that everything runs according to plan. Then we can make the final decision on what to do with him if he strays."

Daenerys was smiling. He feels himself grow a bit self-conscious with the look she was giving him.

"What? What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything. I just love seeing this side of you," she whispers softly before leaning in and kissing him once more. He feels himself smile just as wide before she suddenly pushes the tray of food to the side, pushing him down onto the bed.

Jon fake gasps. "I worked _hard_ on that food."

"Oh, shut up and fuck me," she grunts before her lips land on his once more. He pulls her close as his hands start to quickly move away her dressing robe, but just when it starts to fall off her shoulders, revealing her smooth silky skin, he hears a knock on the door.

But instead of him getting angry this time, it was Dany. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at the door, mouth opening to shout on instinct. But she catches herself a moment later, takes a deep breath, and responds in an even tone.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, your grace," Jon hears Missandei say through the door. Daenerys silently curses. "We need to get you ready for the meeting with the slavers…and it seems they're starting their attack again. We must hurry soon."

As she said that, there were explosions that suddenly occurred outside. Daenerys quickly stands pulling at her robe. "Why is it that whenever we try to do something the world doesn't want it?" Jon chuckles, standing up as well.

"I don't know. Just saves more for later." He leans down and kisses her forehead. "We got this. Don't worry." Her mouth opens in response but he quickly responds. "I can see it in your eyes. You're concerned but we're going to be fine. Trust me…you're the dragon queen. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Fuck these Slavers."

Daenerys exhales gently before nodding, and then a soft smile comes over her lips. "As long as you're my dragon king."

Jon smiles at her words and squeezes her hands. "Of course I can be."

The couple shares one last kiss before she separates from him, turning to the door. "Missandei, you may come in."

* * *

Explosions rang out from beyond the sea, but Daenerys showed no emotion as she, him, and the rest of her advisors and protectors walked towards where the three masters were that they would be meeting. Unsullied soldiers stood behind them, ready with any move.

As they approached the three masters, Jon watched with careful eyes. All of them glared at Daenerys but didn't dare look at the others. And he noticed that most didn't look to him either. He stood beside her as Tyrion, Greyworm, and Missandei stood behind. Sansa had also emerged after some time, saying that if she was going to watch over Dany, then she would do so even during the battles to become a good leader.

Jon could honor his cousin's bravery considering she had never been in something like this before, and something could happen at any moment. She was starting to grow on him. Maybe she wasn't as bad as he thought.

Another explosion sounds in the distance, followed by screams.

"Once before," one of the masters starts, his eyes on Daenerys. "I offered you peace. If you had not been so arrogant, you could have returned to your homeland with a fleet of ships. Instead, you will flee Slaver's Bay on foot like the beggar queen you are."

"If I recall correctly, she isn't the one begging for her cities back right now," Jon comments.

The man glares at him. "And who might you be?"

"Someone you don't want to underestimate," Jon warns. "So you better watch your mouth."

"We are here," Tyrion pipes up, sensing the growing tension between Jon and the slave master. "To discuss terms of surrender. Not to trade insults. If we can do that in a calm matter, we can move along and forget this ever happened."

The man turns his gaze from Jon to the dwarf. "The terms are simple. You and your foreign friends will abandon the Great Pyramid and the city of Meereen. The Unsullied you stole from Kraznys mo Nakloz will remain to be sold again to the highest bidder. The translator you stole from Kraznys mo Nakloz will remain to be sold again to the highest bidder. The dragons beneath the Great Pyramid will be slaughtered."

Jon huffs, and shakes his head, glancing away from the glare that was sent his way from the slaver. If only he knew.

Daenerys doesn't change her face. "We obviously haven't communicated clearly. We are here to discuss your surrender, not ours."

One of the other slave masters laughs. "I imagine it's difficult for you to adjust to a new reality. Your reign is _over._ "

Again, not a single movement. Not a single hint of fear. And with an even tone, she responds, "Our reign has just begun."

"Our? Who is this _our_?" the third master finally asks.

Before anyone could respond, there were two screeches from above. Jon watches as all of the slaver's heads turn in the direction of the screech. Within moments, both Drogon and Rhaegal fly over the plateau, landing and dropping down beside both Daenerys and Jon. The two of them share a look, one that was trying to confirm every single thing they were about to do. Every possibility. And he nods back, agreeing.

He could see the slavers looked frightened now of the sudden large dragons in their midst. Daenerys climbs onto Drogon first, and Jon turns to Rhaegal. The dragon drops down lower so Jon could climb onto his back. It felt strange to be on the back of another dragon besides Rhaegal but good, all the same. Even better. The moment he settled in, he felt a new feeling take over, one that he didn't think he had ever felt.

_Power._

Daenerys flies off first and he follows, going off into the sky as quickly as they could, both of them souring together. Viserion at a certain point joins them, revealing himself from beyond the clouds, flying by with his brothers. Daenerys and he exchange another look from across the way and both of them dive down towards the beaches, right near the entrance to Meereen.

He could see far down below in the streets that some of the Sons of the Harpy were slaughtering the citizens, but Jon could see in the distance the thousands of Unsullied making their way through the streets, along with Jorah, Daario, and the Second Sons that were with them at this point. Jon watches as the sellsword beheads a Son of the Harpy, their body falling to the ground. Jorah does the same, except he fully slices through one of the men's heads, completely in-half.

Both were useful. At least for now. Jon wouldn't let them out of his sight for as long as he could.

Soon, they reach the water, hovering over the master's ships and the slavers that were with them as well. Jon could see the soldiers still and stare up at the dragons in fear. Daenerys comes to a halt and hovers over the ship. She nods again at Jon, this one of confirmation, before settling down onto Drogon and holding tightly.

" _Dracarys!_ " he hears her exclaim over the noise.

Within seconds, Drogon shoots a stream of fire that directly engulfs the ship, practically breaking it in half. The wood catches fire and spreads quickly. Jon watches the soldiers scream as they burn to a crisp, some jumping into the water to avoid the flames.

He turns to Daenerys and watches as she burns down another ship, and he takes that as his cue to do the same.

He heads towards one near the end, exclaiming the same word, " _Dracarys!"_ before Rhaegal sent down a stream of fire towards the boat. Those soldiers jump into the water as well and Jon watches as they all burn.

For a moment, he stares at the fire, feeling himself get lost in it. He had never seen fire bring so much destruction and yet, watching it here, it almost felt mesmerizing, a million colors all colliding into one fiery masterpiece. This one creature could kill so many people at once. That _he_ could. That _she_ could. Just like that.

He shakes himself out of his reverie and looks to where Daenerys was and follows her, the two of them soaring through the skies. The two of them destroy a couple of the other ships but leave about ninety percent of them still alive and working, easily able to be used to carry their men to Westeros. Most of the soldiers there were cowering in fear.

Good. Their plan had worked.

The two of them fly back towards where the group was. He could see the master's soldiers running off from where they had just been, and feels himself smirk a bit. Drogon screeches as he lands as does Rhaegal. Viserion moves a bit closer to the end, staying near his brothers, having just picked up some sort of animal to feast on.

"Thank you for the armada," he hears Tyrion say from where they laid. "Our queen does love ships…and so will her new king."

That seemed to make the masters even more aware of what was happening. One of them glances up at where Jon was. He only narrows his eyes as Rhaegal lets out a screech at him, effectively making the master step back multiple places.

"Now," Tyrion continues. "You came here last time when she was not here, and we made a pact. You violated that pact and now declared war upon us. Those our rulers do have a forgiving nature to an extent, this cannot be forgiven."

"Our queen insists that one of you must die as a punishment for your crimes," Missandei states.

"Seems like an appropriate punishment," Sansa responds quietly. "Considering the queen told me your cities killed how many children?"

There was no response from the slave masters as their eyes widen in fear. One of them grabs the slave master from before who had spoken to them, pushing him forward. Right, Jon recognized him from Daenerys' stories she had told, Yezzen. "Him, he should die."

"Yes, him!"

Tyrion looks to Greyworm and the soldier approaches with a knife. "He's not one of us. He's an outsider, a lowborn. He doesn't speak for us!"

Greyworm walks right up to the slave master, who falls to his knees. "Please," he pleads. Greyworm holds the dagger in his hands, but then quickly slices the knife through the other two slave master's throats, their blood sputtering out onto the ground, dead, clutching at their throats one last time. Jon raises an eyebrow at Daenerys and she smirks. They hadn't gone over that. That had been her and Greyworm this morning.

Oh, that sly little dragon.

He shakes his head but had a grin on his face. Gods, his future wife was _ruthless._ He loved it.

The slaver looks up in complete shock that he was still alive. Tyrion places a hand on the man's shoulder. "Tell your people what happened here. Tell them you live by the grace of the rulers of Meereen. When they come forward with notions of retribution or ideas about returning the slave cities to their 'former glory,' remind them what happened to your people when Daenerys and Jaehaerys Targaryen and their dragons came to Meereen."

Tyrion pats the man on the shoulder, who was shaking and then commands Greyworm to take him away. The Unsullied do, as troops of hundreds of soldiers and Sons of the Harpy begin to retreat, most abandoning the ships and taking foot while the army down below starts to settle down as a horn is blown. Jon lets out a long exhale as he turns to Daenerys and sees her smiling. Within seconds, she takes off into the sky.

And he follows sharply behind.

* * *

The dragons drop them off on her balcony, all three taking flight once more to the top of the pyramid and beyond once they were safely off.

As soon as they were Daenerys jumps into his arms, squealing with glee, something he was _quite_ sure no one from before ever saw. He laughs as he catches her, pulling her close and lifting her up off the ground. Her legs wrap around him. Within seconds, her lips were on his, a kiss that he gladly returned.

When he pulls away a moment later, he was smiling. "See? I told you, nothing to worry about." He lowers her back to her feet, her own ear-splitting grin on her lips.

"That was…amazing. I've never done something like that besides…besides the Wall. And you…" She shakes her head, chuckling. "You looked like you were right at home on Rhaegal."

"I was…it was strange, but it was easy to ride him. It felt like a connection that I didn't have before…I wonder how the little dragons are going to react to that," he says softly before brushing away her hair from her face, bringing his hands up to cup her cheeks. "And you with that slick little move at the end to kill those two slavers…"

Instantly, her brow creases with worry. "Was it too much?"

"No! It was just the right amount," he reassures her. "That sends a message for him, that we not only spared his life when he was offered up but shows that your men and your council don't fuck around and let people live. It's the _perfect_ amount of ruthlessness. Besides, they deserved to die." He lets his forehead rest against hers. "You and I…we're going to do so much, Dany. So much. _Fuck_." He pulls her in for a kiss again, this one much more passionate than before. "I love you," he says when he pulls away.

"I love you too," she whispers before her brow furrows, this time in confusion. "Where is all this…passion coming from?"

"I…I don't know." He glances outside. "The moment I got on Rhaegal I felt so much more than I thought. There was just…I never felt more confident, more…sure of myself. Doing that with you felt…amazing. And I know that we can do anything, Dany. Absolutely _anything._ " His forehead rests against hers again. "Gods, I can't wait to marry you. I can't wait to tell the world that Daenerys Targaryen is my wife."

The smile that was on her lips was contagious, so much so that he was smiling as well. "What about me?" she murmurs. "I get to tell the world that Jaehaerys Targaryen is my husband. That's not something to talk down either."

He grins at her words and kisses her again. Gods, he could _never_ stop kissing her. She was his absolute everything. If he lost her, he would break.

"Marry me," he exhales as he pulls back.

She giggles. "We already are going to-"

"I know but I'm asking for real now. After this battle. After _everything."_ He steps away, even lowering down to one knee, looking up at her, her hands in his. The moment he does this, he sees her eyes begin to water. "Dany, I'm quite sure I loved you from the first moment I met you – well, the _real_ you." She laughs softly. "I can't imagine this world without you, without me at your side. I know that both of us don't know what the future holds but I know I can do anything when I'm with you, and you can do anything when you're with me. I would give my life for yours, any day. I love you with every bit of me, my soul, heart, and body. Will you do me the greatest honor I could ever receive and do the honor of becoming my wife?"

A tear escapes from her eye, but the grin doesn't stray from her face. "You already know I'll say yes," she laughs.

"I know, but I want to hear it," Jon chuckles, holding onto her hand tighter. "Just so I can have this memory in my mind, looking at the most beautiful woman in the world, saying yes to be my wife. So can you do that for me, Dany?"

She shakes her head, but out of love, before she nods once, saying, "Yes. A million times yes."

Jon felt that his face might crack. "Yeah? Haven't changed your mind yet?"

"Oh, get up here." She pulls him up from his bent knee and kisses him, embracing him tightly. He closes his arms tightly around her, remembering this moment, how amazing she felt, the two of them against the world. Against everything. When she pulls away, her hands rest on his cheeks, looking up at him with the greatest expression of love within her violet eyes. "I love you," she murmurs.

"I love you more," he responds back, bringing a hand up to cup her own.

"So…what now?" she asks, glancing outside at the ships that were now being carried closer to the pyramid.

"Well…we go to Braavos. Get the rest of our family back." He tilts her head towards him once more, stroking her cheek. "Finalize what we need before going back to Westeros…but I know we'll figure it out. We always do."

Daenerys smiles a bit and bites her lip. "I know we're going to Braavos but, um…I mean what are we going to do _now_?" Her eyes glance over at the bed. "I think we deserve the chance to celebrate our _betrothal."_

Jon grins and instantly pulls her up into his arms, causing her to laugh. "I like how you think," he muses before bringing her to the bed for a well-deserved fuck after what they had just done. But all he could think as he laid her down, lips on hers, was one thing.

' _Daenerys Targaryen is going to be my wife.'_

And that was just an absolutely wonderful thought. A thought he never thought he would have but would cherish for the rest of his days until the day came where they said their vows to each other, no matter if there was a festival or a small ceremony. Because all he needed was _her._ And he was perfectly fine with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, these two are freaking cute. It's killing me. But I love writing them haha
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, as I absolutely love hearing what you all have to say about and hearing your suggestions and comments. Your responses and replies have been amazing and I've loved every single one of them, so thank you for being you - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you want to join us on our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! 
> 
> Next up: Jon and Daenerys finalize who stays in Meereen when they travel to Braavos. They arrive in the Free City and meet up with their cohorts, but while there, Jon finds someone he never thought he would see again - which comes with a bubbling side of rage for the condition they are in.


	21. The Free City of Braavos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Daenerys finalize their travel plans and head to Braavos with Sansa, but what they find when they arrive changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the amazing response on the last chapter. Your reviews really inspired me to get this out for you as soon as possible despite my work so thank you all for being so amazingly awesome and patient with me. This chapter I wouldn't say is filled but is quite chill until the very end, so I think ya'll will like it. Please, let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy :)

_Daenerys_

This was the _best_ bath she had experienced in she didn't _know_ how long.

Ever since Daenerys had traveled to the Wall, the idea of being clean had been sort of an afterthought. With how often she and Jon had trained, and what they would do while she was there, having a steaming hot bath was something she had missed of being a royal. Of being treated like someone good. And while she was sure that Jon probably would have tried her hardest to make sure she achieved something like that at the Wall, she was glad it was back here in her own bathing chambers.

She and Jon had gotten up earlier that day to train for a little bit, considering she had been solely relying on Drogon a lot lately since he had returned. But that didn't mean she was just going to forget everything Jon had trained her. Aemon had given her Dark Sister for a reason. She wasn't about to let that beautiful sword collect dust.

But now, as she laid in the steaming water that Missandei had prepared for her, she felt all her troubles float away and the pain that had endured in her muscles ease, her eyes closed in peaceful bliss. The last couple of days had been hectic, with them constantly trying to figure out the best ways to approach Bravos considering it was so far from where they were. The trip back would be interesting as well, considering Aemon's age.

She prayed that somehow, someway, they'd be able to do it easily. Without much trouble.

As she thought through what had gone on, she heard the door open. A part of her felt peeved that Missandei would come in this quickly as soon as she submerged, but the moment she saw who it was, she felt herself smile.

"Well look who's here," she murmurs, watching as Jon walked over to where she sat at the edge of the tub. "I thought you didn't like baths with how often you smell."

"Ha, ha," he mutters before removing his shirt from his body. For a moment, she lets her eyes wander. While the scars from the men who had committed treason were there, and probably always would be, she couldn't help but admire his chest, the one she loved to run her hands up and down on, lick it up, if she could. "I thought I'd- _Dany_."

"What?" she asks, her tone innocent.

"Eyes on me," he chuckles before his hands go to his trousers. "I thought I'd join my dragon this time."

"The water is great," she says to him, closing her eyes once more. A moment later, she feels the water push in small waves, indicating he had gotten in. Her eyes open to see where he was, walking over to her. It was still a marvel of amazement, how the steaming water did not hurt him. When Missandei had stuck the edge of her pinkie in here she had ripped it back just as quick, just to make sure for Dany's sake after using fire to heat up the water. But to Jon, it was a normal bath. "Ah. Now I can finally clean your mop of hair."

Jon smirks a bit before his hands wrap around her waist from under the water, settling himself behind her. "I thought you loved my hair?"

"Not when it's caked in blood, my love."

Jon laughs and nods. "Yes, indeed…it does get to that point quite often, doesn't it?" She feels him press a gentle kiss to the back of her neck and Daenerys smiles, resting her head against his chest. If she could die right here, she'd be happy, in the arms of the man she loved, nothing else in the world stopping them. It was heavenly. "Has everything been going alright with what we planned for the others while we're gone?"

Daenerys sighs quietly, turning her head to look up at him. "To an extent. Missandei and Greyworm will follow whatever I say to their heart. Tyrion did have some inquires, but nothing major."

"Like what?"

"Like who we were bringing back, what route we were taking. He doesn't know too much about Essos but it's clear he is showing that he cares deeply about what we do. I can appreciate that in him. Jorah, on the other hand…was another story."

Jon's grip on her tightens slightly. "Do I have to say something to him?" She could sense the threat beneath his tone.

"No, don't worry," she chuckles a bit, her hands resting on top of his under the water. "I handled it. He just didn't feel safe with me traveling all the way to Braavos with just you. He thought we needed more guards with us. But I told him that the dragons can only handle so many people at one time on their back."

Jon was quiet for a moment before looking down at her. "You _really_ think that's the only reason? He wants to get back in your good graces."

"And knows that by staying here and doing as I say, he will. If he deliberately disobeys that, then we will have issues. For now, it seems like he's obeying. And that's all that matters." She turns to look up at him now. "We both know what happens when people go against what we say. I know it. You know it. Trust me. If he was an issue, I would have handled him already."

Jon smirks a bit and smiles a moment later. "I know…I just worry. You know this." He was quiet for a second. "Did you think of what to do with the people here? Are they rebuilding after the battle from the other day?"

"They are, actually. I visited the streets earlier yesterday with Missandei and Greyworm while you were working out the guard shifts in the pyramid. Tyrion was right. The marketplace is alive again and people were doing well, and when they saw me once more after scaring off the slavers, they weren't upset at me anymore…our plan really had worked. It seems life is returning to normal. But…but there's still people who are unappeased, some that came up to me and said so to my face. I can't please everyone." She glances back at him. "Do you have any idea of what to do?"

"Well, who were the people who were upset?"

"People from former Slave Master cities, some who were families of them, others who were slaves that felt they had no purpose…I can't do much for them. I don't really know exactly what would work well."

Jon nods slowly, clearly letting her words sink in. "Didn't you mention at one point you were going to reopen the fighting pits?"

"I did."

"Well, that might fix both problems in one." At her furrowed brow, he continues. "The fighting pits were probably a good source of income for the slave masters. While I don't agree with them owning slaves, some of them feel like they are useless even if they are free. I think you should give them the choice to go back to their masters if they so please. Everyone has free will. But instead of the masters using them for horrible tasks where they are beaten, they are used for things like what Missandei does, or…they can be used in the fighting pits again. Trained, and brought forward for profit. Sort of like what a sellsword does but without the mercenary part."

Daenerys nods quietly. "I can see your point…gods, I just hate thinking about the innocent people that might die in those pits, though. And the betting…on human lives?"

Jon sighs. "I hate to break it to you, Dany, but that's the way the world is. Even in Westeros. My fa…uncle – still getting used to it – went to joust matches and they would bet on who would get killed first. People like to take their chances. And even if you _did_ shut it down, people would always find a way to bring it back up, albeit a little bit less unsafe. This is the best way you can get those people to shut up while also doing a service to those who would use it. And remember, the people who fight get to choose this time, not thrown in there."

She sighs. "Damn it, I know." She brings a hand to her face, running it down her features, letting his words sink into her own mind. "I'm just stubborn. But it's a good idea. A great one, really." She looks back at him. "I suppose we'll have to finalize that before we sail to Westeros once more."

Jon smiles a bit, his arms wrapping tighter around her. "What's our first stop on that?"

She bites her lip, thinking about what she had talked about with Tyrion lately. "He suggests Dragonstone. The whole island is abandoned because all of Stannis' men are gone. And it would be a good place to set up everything while we plan out our attack on Cersei…as well as Ramsey and the dead."

Jon was quiet for a moment before he turns in the bath to face her. "I want you to know I don't expect you to fight this battle, Daenerys. This isn't yours to do. Sansa is the one who brought this up and I plan to help her since she's seeing her end of the deal through, but I don't want you doing this if you don't want to."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "Why wouldn't I want to? If I am to marry you then she will become my family, and we must fight for our families. The Starks and the Targaryen's were two of the best-known houses in all of Westeros. The most powerful, some of the most influential…and now look where we are, most of us dead or separated…we must stick together. It's the best that we can do." She brings a hand up to stroke his cheek. "Besides, I wouldn't want my future husband running off to war without his wife at his side."

Jon smiles a bit. He had been doing that a lot whenever she mentioned their upcoming nuptials. It was sweet, to see him so excited about something. "Usually a wife doesn't accompany their husband to war."

She raises an eyebrow. "Well I am no ordinary wife, am I?" She leans close and pecks his lips softly, her hands ghosting over the scars against his chest, his own resting on the one on her side from Hardhome. It had healed over at this point, but she knew that it would remain scarred for the rest of her life. But with Jon at her side, she feared no man nor scar nor anything else. All she feared was the person who dared come between them.

When she pulls away, Jon smiles and holds her close to him once more, his forehead now resting against hers. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

She shrugs a little. "Exist?" she suggests.

Jon chuckles a bit but shakes his head. "No, I…not like that. I mean…even with this claim I have now, I still feel like you're worth so much more than me. I want to make sure that you're happy and taken care of and I can only pray that I can get even close to that."

Daenerys again runs her fingers along his skin, looking at him softly. "Jon, you are _everything_ that I could ever need. You're sweet, strong, cunning, caring…brave, and smart…I can't think of a better man that I could be with. Even if you weren't my blood I'd still want you in my life. I cared for you enough before I found out to bring you with me. To even legitimize you as a Stark. But things took a change and here we are now, and I wouldn't change a thing. You're my everything, Jon. My absolute everything. And don't you dare think anything differently."

Her dragon kisses her after that, one that almost made the water beneath them sizzle and crack with a newfound heat. While his hands tried to maneuver themselves under the bath, she pulls away, shaking her head.

"You and I both know we need to finalize us leaving for Braavos. We can't do any of that right now."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "Are you _sure_ about that?"

"Yes," she snickers before shaking her head. "I swear, you're as in love as a young boy."

"You make me feel that way," he murmurs, before leaning in and kissing her again. "Think we should try for that baby again…"

Daenerys feels herself smile at his words but she shakes her head. "No, not right now. We can't." His lips press against her neck, one of his hands reaching up to grab her hand, pulling it gently under the water to press against his cock. She gasps softly when she realizes how hard it was. " _Jon."_

"I can't help it." Daenerys turns to look at him, seeing that his pupils were blown up with lust and desire, staring at her. "We can just do a quick one…if you want."

Daenerys bites her lip, finding herself very inconvenienced with this series of events. She knew they had to be at the meeting soon. And if they were late, _everyone_ would know why. They weren't idiots. But the more Jon looked at her like _that,_ the more she wanted to give in. And when his arm snaked around her, pulling her close, his hardness pressing up against her belly, she felt herself surrender.

"The edge of the bath," she whispers.

Jon grins at her words and pushes himself up on the ledge of the floor-bath, watching as she climbed out of the water only so she could seat himself on top of him. Her hands rest on his shoulders, clinging on tightly as she slowly slid on top of him, inch by inch until she was completely filled up to the brim.

Her eyes shut tightly as she adjusts while Jon lets out a groan into her neck, holding onto her hips. She lets out a shaky breath and she slowly opens her eyes once more, her violet ones connecting with his stormy grey. It was amazing how much his eyes told, just like that. Almost like staring into the depths of the sea, a hurricane brewing but one that held nothing but good fortunes near the end. Gods, she loved this man. Such poetry in a gaze even if he couldn't speak it well.

They don't speak. They didn't need to. He starts to slowly move her up and down, all the way to the tip of his cock before sinking right back down, the one movement sending little tiny fits of pleasure through her body, hitting that angle that he knew she loved. And she keeps that movement, slowly moving up and down and up and down until her hands started to leave marks on his shoulders.

"Fuck, _yes,_ Dany," he growls, hands gripping her hips as she started to move quicker. "Just like that, my love… _gods…"_ The water begins to slush around them, going onto the floor and the walls as their pace quickens. "Tell me you're mine," he grunts to her, hands holding her to his body, flush against his own. His hand reaches up and pulls her hair, eliciting a delicious moan from her. " _Tell me."_

Her eyes look back to him as he lets go of her hair, and she holds onto him tightly. "I'm yours, Jon…all yours, ñuha zaldrīzes. Completely yours."

"Who's your king?" he growls.

" _You are, **fuck**!" _she yells, as his pace starts to quicken, her body arching, begging for release, needing something to come undone. It seemed that soon, he grew close as well, as his thrusts became much more erratic, needy, his hands digging into her hips, piercing her skin, blood seeping through the nails.

And then, it was all over with a crash, a wave of pleasure washing over her like the sea outside their balcony. A choked moan left her as she fell into his arms, shaking and quivering all over while he pounded into her, riding out her orgasm until he came with a hybrid mix of a grunt and moan. He holds her tightly as he shoots spurts of him into her, and she quietly prays to all the gods above and below that his seed would take root. A prayer she wanted to be answered with her whole heart.

The two of them breathe slowly, trying to regain their vision before she pulls back and smiles at him, although exhausted. "Fuck, Jon," she murmurs.

"You just did that."

She rolls her eyes and playfully smacks the side of his head, which causes him to laugh. "You know what I mean, you dunce." She leans in and presses a gentle kiss to his lips, as his arms wrap around her. He dips her in the water gently, a soft touch that has her smiling against the kiss. When she pulls away she sighs. "You know we're going to get looks when we go to the council meeting, right?"

Jon shrugs. "And what can they say about it? Absolutely nothing." He leans in and kisses her again. "We're the rulers here. All they do is follow."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow at him. "I think you're adjusting quite quickly to this."

"More so that I get to do this with you," he murmurs. "Also that I want to be able to fuck my future wife whenever I can."

Daenerys chuckles before shaking her head. "Well, you got your wish. Are you happy?"

And he gives her a wolfish grin that makes her snort. "Completely."

* * *

When they did arrive at the council meeting, it was as Daenerys had said. There were some looks thrown her way, particularly from Daario and Jorah, but she paid them no mind as she and Jon sat at the front together, starting to go over the list of items they needed to address before heading off to Braavos.

The first was of the unrest in the city, which Jon and she brought up the idea that Jon had had. The rest of them had seemed to like it and had moved along with possibly implementing it while they were gone. The second was the leftover slavers, most of which agreed to send them back to their homes so they could tell everyone what had happened here. Many other things were brought up back and forth before the topic of Braavos came up.

Sansa would be coming with them to see the rest of the travelers, and they had agreed that bringing anyone else would be a bit too much of a risk. What really mattered was getting the rest of the pyramid and the city in order while they were gone so they could have an easy trip over to Dragonstone once everyone was back together again.

Near the end of the meeting, however, a question was brought up. A question that Daenerys could answer but knew she shouldn't, as it was directed at Jon.

"Your grace," Jorah had said, and even Daenerys could see that it was a struggle for him to say that but the older man was trying. "I was under the impression that my father since he was your Lord Commander for a time…gave you his sword. But I only see the Targaryen swords with you. It's been on my mind for some time. What happened to it?"

Jon and she share a look, one that said 'we knew this was going to come up at some point.' They hadn't even brought up the army of the dead yet to any of her advisors at all, so this was something that needed to happen. "Longclaw…has been lost."

Jorah was stilled for a moment before he blinks once, twice, and then speaks. "…what? Y-you _lost_ my family's Valyrian _sword?!"_

"Jorah, keep your voice down," Daenerys commands.

"I-" At her icy look of warning, Jorah closes his mouth and she could see him trying to control his anger, but after a moment he turns to her fully. "I am sorry, my queen, but you of all people should know that Valyrian swords are ancient for a reason. No one knows how to make them. Your swords were lost for centuries and only _now_ you found them. Who's to say that these won't stay lost?" He turns his gaze to look at Jon. "How could you lose it?"

"It wasn't my intention," Jon explains, his voice cool. "What happened was something that none of us believed would happen. In my quest to try and bring the wildlings over the wall for army purposes, we ran into the largest army perhaps in the world…the army of the dead."

"You've mentioned this once or twice before," Tyrion speaks up from where he sat. "I thought these were…tall tales to scare children?"

"I wish they were," Jon says gravely as he stands. "I lost most of my men there, good ones that didn't need to die. Women, children, elderly…all torn apart by those creatures and their masters. The White Walkers that control the wights are practically indestructible. The only thing that can destroy them is dragonglass and…Valyrian steel, which I did use Longclaw against. But at a certain point, the pain was too much that I dropped it, and everything felt….horrible. Like I would never walk again. But she…" Jon looks over at where Daenerys sat, and she nods at him to continue. "She saved my life when a White Walker was going to kill me. She picked up Longclaw from the ground and shattered it into a million pieces but…but she wasn't quick enough. And another White Walker came up and stabbed her. She dropped Longclaw…I didn't think about picking up the sword when Drogon suddenly appeared. All I cared about was getting her somewhere safe and away from those monsters."

"Why would you bring her along when you knew there was a threat?" Daario interjects.

"It wasn't my choice," Jon snaps back. "I don't know if you've seen this, Daario, but Daenerys is a woman who is capable of her own decisions. It was her choice to come. Did I want her to stay? Yes. But I wasn't about to be a right prick and force her to. I'm not her commander. I'm her partner. Something that apparently is too complex for you to understand." Daario doesn't say anything after that, but he leans in his chair, glaring at Jon, practically seething. "Even so, we did escape that day. I was able to nurse her back to health. And then we went back to the Wall, but not without realizing what was beyond it."

He turns back to Jorah, who was silent.

"I apologize for not telling you sooner. I wanted to – believe me, I did. I felt awful when I lost it, not only for myself but for your family, and it was something I will always be ashamed of. But there are much worse things out there that we need to be prepared for. I originally came here with Dany because I needed an army by my side to fight these monsters, and she agreed. However, life happened and we made other plans as well, but that doesn't divert from the main one – that if we don't take out those pieces of shit, then we are all going to die, no matter who sits on that throne at the end of it."

The group was silent. Jorah glances at Daario, while Tyrion took a sip of his wine, seemingly unbothered. "Do they like little dwarves?" he quips, causing Jon to snort lightly. "I only kid…but if what you say is true, then this threat is as serious as you say. How many men would these White Walkers have?"

"Hundreds of thousands," Jon easily states. "If not more. That's why we needed the Unsullied behind us. We need more people behind us. As much as we can get if we even want to stand a chance." He looks to Greyworm, who was quiet. "I know that you are protective of your queen, but at some point, I am to be her husband, and you must give me the same respect as you do to her. And I am _going_ to need your men behind me when we face this threat."

Daenerys turns to look at Greyworm, seeing his face unwavering. She knew that the head of her first guard was still a bit wary of Jon being here, but at this point, if he didn't accept Jon, then she knew changes would have to be made. After a moment, however, Greyworm lowers his head and speaks. "It is my duty to serve the queen. If it is you that she chooses as a partner, I will serve you as well and fight against this threat."

Jon nods, letting out a slow exhale, happy to hear that from the man clearly. "My queen," Daario finally speaks up again from where he sat. "Is this threat truly as horrible as he says it is?"

Daenerys turns to look at him with a raised brow. "Yes, Daario. Didn't you hear him? I nearly died at the hands of one of their leaders. What, now that we're not together anymore you don't take me seriously?"

"I didn't say that," Daario instantly responds. "I'm only saying for _years_ your main goal has been to take down Cersei and win back that throne, and now suddenly, when someone else is involved, that's changed entirely. I didn't think something like that could change within a matter of months when this whole entire conquest has been about that."

Daenerys glances at the floor and then stands. "I wouldn't have brought Jon with me if I didn't feel that the threat was real. If I felt that he could have handled it there on his own, I would have left. But that's not the case here. We have a _real_ issue following us. Slowly, but they are coming. And when they do, they are not going to rain fire down like I wish to do on my enemies. They are going to bring death and destruction and an ever-lasting coldness that will wipe out not only the guilty but the innocent. A life ruled by the darkness. They are the true evil that we must conquer. Do I think certain things need to be done first before we do this? Yes, entirely. But I also know that this is something that we cannot turn a blind eye at, no matter what."

The rest of the room seemed to quiet at that. Daenerys lets out a soft sigh and then leans against the back of her chair once more.

"Missandei?" Her loyal friend looks up from where she stood. "I want you to prepare the dragons to leave. We are going to head to Braavos soon. Once we are gone, you and the other will be responsible for holding this city until we arrive back on our dragons."

"Yes, your grace," she says, lowering her head.

"Good…meeting is dismissed." Everyone begins to stand one by one, heading out. She could see both Tyrion and Jorah speaking to each other as guards followed closely behind, and then Daario, who was not too far in the distance heading out. A moment later, Daenerys turns to Jon and squeezes his hand. "My love, I know that the dragons aren't going to be too…open to letting Missandei touch them. Can you go and help her?"

"Of course," he responds. The two of them share a kiss before he lets go of her hand, leaving the room. Daenerys sighs as she stares at the map down below her. A moment later, she feels someone's presence next to her and she looks up, seeing Sansa.

"You should take Cersei first."

Daenerys looks at the young woman in surprise at her words. "Really? Why do you say that?"

"Well…you need as many people as possible to fight the White Walkers. If you took the throne, then you could swear the armies to your side and have them fight for you. It would add thousands of men to your roster. You say that the real threat is the White Walkers, and I agree…but if you only fight with the men that you have now, there's a small chance that you'll win, even with Unsullied and dragons. I used to hear stories about them…never believed them until now. And if _Jon_ was nearly killed…I don't know what might happen if you don't get more people."

Daenerys nods quietly. "I do agree…however, a big reason I haven't proposed that was that you need to take back Winterfell – or, rather, we do."

Sansa sighs slightly. "I don't want to force you to do that."

"What is it with Starks and forcing? You and you cousin, I swear." Daenerys turns to the young woman. "Sansa, I was your age when I began this mission of mine. You'd be surprised at what a young girl can do when she puts her mind to it. But I didn't do it alone – I had _help._ I'm not going to send you off to the North to fight that man alone. And, it's not only that, but we need the North behind our cause. The White Walkers are coming directly from over the Wall. The Northman is the first people they will hit. If we don't get them on our side sooner rather than later, we are going to be very sorry." She looks at her and squeezes her hand. "I don't want to let you do this alone. It's the reason why I agreed with Jon on bringing you here. You don't need to worry about that. We'll take him down together. And then after that, we can see what we can do about having you as ruler of the North."

Sansa's brow raises in surprise. "Ruler? What happened to Warden?"

Daenerys shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Never liked that name. I mean, the North is usually quite independent from the main kingdoms. While we do still need each other for trading purposes, there are many things that the North can do without everyone at their side, as long as the economical purposes move along." She smiles a bit as she nods towards where Jon had gone. "Besides, he brought you here to learn how to rule. It would be pretty pointless if you didn't use any of that information."

Sansa smiles a bit at her words. "Thank you…that means much."

"You don't need to thank me." She folds up the map, glancing at the window, seeing Drogon and Rhaegal flying in the distance. "Well, your version of thanks will be when you get to ride my dragons again."

Sansa chuckles a bit before leaning against the edge of the table. "So…it's official? You and Jon are going to marry?"

Daenerys feels herself smile before turning to her. "Yes, we are. We don't know when but…it'll happen."

Sansa nods quietly. "I…I know you have Missandei to do these sort of things for you but I…I was wondering if I, uh-" She scratches the back of her neck, almost embarrassed. "I don't really know how to do a lot of things but I do know how to sew, and if you may I was…wondering if maybe I could sew your…wedding dress?"

Daenerys looks at her in surprise. "I didn't think that would be something you'd want to do."

"Usually, I wouldn't, but you've done so much for me and my cousin that I…I want to make sure that I can somehow repay you, for everything that you've done thus far and will do. Again, there's not much I can do. I'm not a fighter. I don't know how to use any sort of weapon. But I do know at least a bit about politics and I do know about sewing. Which is why I want to try and do both."

Daenerys smiles at her words before slowly nodding her head. "I can see what I can do to arrange something with Missandei. How does that sound?" Sansa smiles on her own and nods, clearly happy with what she said. Daenerys grabs the map into her hands. "Also, if you wanted to learn how to fight, Jon or I could teach you."

"Ah…I think I'd end up hurting myself more than I would the other person."

Daenerys laughs. "That sounds about right…everyone starts out that way. But if you kept practicing, I'm sure you could learn. Every ruler should know how to keep themselves alive somehow." She nudges the woman's shoulder a bit. "I'm sure with someone as smart as you, you'd pick it up quickly."

"You're too kind. I've pricked my fingers with just my sewing needle. Don't know how well I'd do with a real sword."

Daenerys snickers. "Maybe a bow and arrow then?"

To which the young woman chuckles. "Maybe."

* * *

Eventually, they made their way towards the dragons, saying goodbye to all of their cohorts before taking off into the sky on both Rhaegal and Drogon. Viserion, since he had no rider, would stay behind. Daenerys didn't know if he would willingly let people onto his back, so it was better to be safe rather than sorry.

When they did take off, Sansa did not scream like the last times. Instead, she held on and looked around as they did in wonder, and Daenerys could feel herself chuckle at the change in the girl's attitude within only a couple of trips. Dragons were mysterious and beautiful creatures. It wasn't a shock that she had grown to like them.

Once they did take off, they didn't stop much, only to sleep and then take off towards the city. As soon as the outskirts were in their sights, both she and Jon had agreed to land the dragons a bit further away so no one would see them, hidden behind the mountains that weren't that far from Braavos. Once they had landed, they continued on foot. That journey had taken them about an hour, but soon, they could see the outskirts of the city, the city that Daenerys had once called home.

Even from there, she could see the islands that were sprawled out against the water, the building that seemed to tower on top of each other. And while where they were right now she could not see the giant statue that usually greeted sailors, she knew that it wasn't too far away. There were no trees in Braavos except for those that housed mighty and royals – a reason why she had seen the lemon tree at such a young age.

Walking through the city towards one of the many beaches that lined the lagoons was a bit of a hassle. Braavos was made of many canals and water was everywhere, so without a boat to get from place to place, it could be hard. However, there were certain bridges that would lead them to where they had to go, which was the goal of this whole mission.

Along the way, she was greeted by many friendly faces, most of which smiled at her or nodded as she passed along. It as was funny, how many of these people would not know who she or Jon was. They were normal people here, ones who looked like the others. Braavos was always a very kind city in general though. She had distinct memories of hearing the Braavosi sing songs late into the night.

"I'm not going to lie," Jon had said at some point while they were walking. "The fish here, whenever we pass a tavern, smells absolutely amazing."

Daenerys chuckles a bit. "I'm sure. Braavos is known for its sea trading. They probably have some of the best fish and ships in the world."

"Do you think you could talk with the Golden Company to lend you their army?" Sansa brings up.

"Davos did mention that to me once," Jon mutters.

"I'd like to but at the same time I'm not entirely sure how they would react to seeing me again." At their looks of surprise, she explains. "Viserys and I tried to recruit them years ago and they laughed in our faces."

"Well, not to be rude, but you're not the same person that you were years ago," Jon states after a second once they cleared a corner, walking past many stalls that sold oysters and clams. They could see the inn on the beach not too far from here. "And if they didn't like you or disrespected you, they could always reach the end of my sword."

"Jon," Daenerys chastises.

"What? I don't mess around with that shit. You know that. No one disrespects you." The sand hits their feet and the three of them head forward, going to where the inn on the beach was that sat not too far. "If I can recall, this was where Davos had said they had gone. If it's not, well, then we're fucked."

Daenerys snorts before slowly opening up the door. It moved with a solid *creeeak* before it opened all the way. Inside they could see multiple men dining and eating, something that spoke so much so to Daenerys as her stomach rumbled with the thought of fish. However, it was the innkeeper that came up to greet them that distracted her from her gaze. "You coming here together deary?"

"Um…yes." Daenerys looks at Jon, nodding at him to speak.

"We received a letter from a Ser Davos? And his crew? They also might have had some pets or a wolf with them?" Jon asks.

A look of realization and then horror suddenly comes over her face. "Oh…oh dear."

"What is it?" Daenerys quickly asks.

"Those people just came in with a young girl. She was bleeding quite a lot…I tried to help them but they said they could handle it."

"A young girl?" Sansa asks.

"Here, let me show you where they are. I'll make you some tea in the meantime," the woman says gently before walking towards a staircase. The three of them share a look of concern before following the woman as quickly as they could, the stairs creaking underneath them as they walked. It seemed that they were brought right to the top of the building on the highest floor, and behind a door, they could hear bickering and fierce whispers, with some of the voices sounding familiar. "They're all in there. I made sure to give them the biggest room. But you should go in. I'll bring up some food for you soon."

"Thank you," Jon answers, pressing coins into her hand. She nods in response and heads back down the stairs. He looks to Daenerys, who seemed a bit nervous at what was happening but has her hand on the doorknob first.

She turns it slowly and opens it up. All heads turn to her, people she recognized. Aemon, Davos, Brienne, Barristan, even the two squires, all right there, looking at them in surprise. A white direwolf suddenly jumps from a bed and runs towards Jon, while little screeches could be heard from the window, where three little dragons were resting.

However, a reunion that should have been happy was interrupted by a gasp and a whisper of "no, no, no!" as Sansa rushed forward to a form that laid on the bed, their hands on their chest. Jon, meanwhile, stared in shock, not being able to speak. Before anyone could speak, Daenerys steps through the small gathering of people, staring down at the person in the bed.

It seemed to be a girl, a bit younger than Sansa, with short brown hair and cuts along her face, but her skin was ghostly pale, and she was completely unconscious. Her shirt was covered in blood, and when she looked at the gash marks that were on her skin, Daenerys saw that there were multiple stab wounds. Short quick ones compared to ones Jon had gone through, but ones that were there altogether. One on her shoulder, the other on her side, and a last one in her chest.

"Who is this?" she asks, looking to everyone for answers, but no one responds. She could hear Sansa beginning to cry. "Is anyone going to answer me?"

"I know who it is," Jon suddenly says, coming forward, and for the first time since the Wall, she saw a rage that took hold in his stormy eyes that had her taking a step back from him, concerned about why he was suddenly so maddened about this young girl.

But when he said who it was, every single little thing snapped into place, the sobbing, the confusion, the anger – it all made sense the moment two words slipped past his lips.

"It's Arya."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starks are coming back one by one *winks in hints*
> 
> I mean, Arya was one of my favorite characters in the show until they ruined literally everyone in season eight, so I'm bringing her back. And no she's not just *okay* after getting stabbed multiple times like she was in the show, for fuck's sake. That was the most ridiculous shit I have ever seen. You better believe this woman is basically dead right now. I swear, I hated that. I told you we're fixing everything in this show lmfao
> 
> Please let me know what you thought of the chapter in the comments, as your comments always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you. I've absolutely loved every single last one of your suggestions and reviews and I love hearing what you have to say, so thank you all for being fantastic - you are all so freaking amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join us on our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great weekend! Expect another chapter as soon as next week...maybe a little Christmas surprise? *winks*
> 
> Next up: The Targaryen crew discuss the next steps with Arya, plans are made in Braavos for what to do before they leave - along with who the kill for hurting Jon's family, and dragon names are revealed.


	22. A Feast for Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Daenerys pay the House of Black and White a little visit, and while they have some time to themselves at the inn, a new revelation turns the world upside down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the great response on the last chapter. It's because of you that I push out these chapters for you all and I'm so thankful for all of your responses. You are all so awesome. This chapter came out a little quicker than most recently but it ends awesomely and I wanted to hear your reactions so just let me know please! I hope you enjoy :)

_Jon_

There were a couple of times in Jon's life where he felt rage.

When he found out his uncle had died. When Robb had been killed. When Daenerys was stabbed at Hardhome. When he found out his true heritage. But right now, he felt a different kind of anger set in, one he hadn't felt since he had been taking care of Dany's damaged body. He had been waiting _years_ for the chance to see Arya again. He had thought she was dead at one point until Brienne had given him hope.

And now, here she laid, still on a bed, looking like she was at death's door.

"Is someone going to tell me what happened?" he asks slowly, keeping his voice calm. When no one responds, he snaps, not caring who was there. "If no one tells me soon someone will lose a _hand._ "

"We found her like this, your grace," Ser Barristan begins quietly. "We were coming from the market – we've been here a couple of days and wanted to treat ourselves to some fish and the oysters here. But as we were walking, Brienne found her in the sewage."

"The _sewage?"_ Sansa gasps.

"She was bleeding to death," Brienne states, swallowing. "As if someone had stabbed her multiple times. The moment we saw her I dived in and got her out…the wounds might have been already infected by the time we came here but…but we've tried."

Jon looks over to where Aemon was sitting, not speaking up. "Is she going to be alright, Aemon?"

"If you wish for me to be honest, it is a waiting game." He looks back up at Jon, although his blind eyes stray, his voice was direct. "She came to us in a state that's hard to come back from. But if she's your family, I have hope that she'll pull through somehow. But she won't be walking for some time…she's going to need time to rest and gain back her energy."

"Fuck," Daenerys whispers, running her hands through her hair. "So much for going back to Meereen as soon as possible. They're going to have to keep it running without me."

Jon sighs and shakes his head. "Dany, you don't have to stay he-"

"No." She stands, taking his hand in hers. "Where you go, I go. We're not getting separated."

Jon smiles a bit at her words, glad to hear them come from her before turning back to the rest of them. "Besides this…how was the trip? Did you make it here safely? I see Ghost and the dragons are okay." He smiles softly as he walks over to the windowsill, and the silver one jumps onto his arm. He noticed that they were a bit bigger than before – not much, but it was definitely noticeable.

Olly was actually the first to speak. "Everything went well, your grace. We did have a few upsets, though."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "Upsets?"

Olly nods at Podrick. "He puked a couple of times."

"Never been a sea fan," Podrick laments.

Jon chuckles, shaking his head. "Well, I don't know how much you'll like flying then, my boy." He sighs as he looks to the rest of them. "But the ride was good? And all of you are okay? Davos, did you command the ships?"

"I did, your grace," Davos says with a smile. "I tried to make sure that everything ran as planned. The waves were a bit rocky but we got here on time. And thankfully, we found the girl before she was…fully gone."

Jon nods, looking over at Arya. He lowers the dragon down to the windowsill once more before gently kneeling to where Sansa was. There were tears streaming down her face. Jon rests a hand gently on her back. "I didn't think you'd feel this way about a girl who flung food at you as a child."

"Oh, stop it," Sansa chuckles, but there was a slight sob to it as well. "Even if we didn't get along she's still my sister…I still love her. For all I know she's the last of the real Starks…the ones that did hold the North." She looks over at him. "I know you're half Stark but…you're more Targaryen than ever. She…she's always been a Stark. She was just like father. And you, honestly."

Jon feels himself grimace a bit. "I won't fight you on that…but she's going to be okay. Somehow." He squeezes her shoulder and stands, looking at the girl's bandaged chest. "Brienne, Ser Barristan, I want you two to keep an eye out on the door. Make sure no one followed us. Davos, if you can, please head down to the nice lady downstairs and bring up the food she's made for us. I want to make sure we're all fed after our journey."

"Yes, your grace," the three of them say before heading out the door.

"Olly, Podrick." He turns to them. "I saw that there was a courtyard in the back. You've done well protecting Arya and the rest of them but we're here now. How about you two go practice for a bit? We can take it from here. And Olly-" He squeezes the boy's shoulder. "Don't freeze. You may be small but you can beat him."

"Hey!" Podrick exclaims from the side.

But Olly only smiles joyfully. "Yes, your grace…I'm happy you're okay." Jon smiles at the boy and hugs his side before letting the two of the squires head off. Once they were gone, he closes the door, a look of business back on his face before he turns to Aemon.

"Uncle…did you find anything on her person when you were undressing her for her wounds? A sword, perhaps?"

"No, actually," Aemon states softly. "But…I did find this." He reaches into his pocket. "It feels like a coin of some sorts."

Jon takes it into his hands, examining it further. It was a dark coin, one that seemed like it was rusted to the bone, but on it, he could see a head that seemed to be faceless. His brow furrowed as he showed it to Sansa, who looked just as confused as he did.

"What is that?" she mutters, sniffling away as she stood.

He shows it to Dany next, who takes it into her hands. And then, within an instant, her brow raises and her eyes widen. "Oh…oh no."

"Dany, what is it?" Jon instantly asks.

"This…this is the coin of the Faceless Men."

At their confused expressions, she elaborates.

"I've only ever seen this coin once and it was when I was _very_ young, but I tried to trade it in for money and they refused to take it because it was supposed to be used for something else. I became curious and looked it up…this coin is meant to symbolize the Faceless Men, the ones who worship the Many-Faced God. They live in the House of Black and White, off the shores of the islands, right smack in the middle of the lagoon…and they…they train people to kill. They believe that death has many faces…all of the death gods from other religions, they believe is the Many-Faced God, which revolves around death. They…gods, why would she go there?"

"How do you know all of this?" Sansa asks her quietly.

"I did a lot of reading when I was a child…it interested me why so many men fear the coin. Apparently whoever holds it wants to be the friend of the holder, for if the holder becomes an assassin for the House of Black and White, they can be killed if not a friend. It's just…strange. I've never understood it. I mean, people can believe what they want but…I never believed in death that way.

Jon nods quietly, looking at the coin before letting out a low and slow breath. He takes it gently from her hands and then looks to Sansa. "I want you to stay here with Aemon and watch over her. If there are any changes, write them down. I don't know if she'll be able to pull through this but we'll see…and she'll want someone she knows close to her."

"Where are you going to go?"

"I'm going to have a _chat_ with these people."

"Jon," Daenerys instantly whispers, grabbing his hand. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"And why in the _world_ are you saying that?" he asks her with a raised brow. "Do you not see the state she is in? What she has gone through?"

"I _know_ that, but all I was going to say is that you shouldn't go alone…they're assassins. They're masters of their craft. They could kill you instantly if you don't have someone to look out for you...I want to go, too."

Jon watches her quietly, his brow furrowed. Daenerys knew most likely where this place was, and who these people were. Bringing her with him would be ideal. But at the same time, he didn't want her to be hurt. And if there was a chance…

He glances over where Ghost had been sitting patiently. "Ghost." He snaps his fingers. "To me." Instantly the direwolf stands and follows him, the loyal animal that he was. "I'll bring him by my side…as well as you. You know the area better, but he'll be here for protection." Daenerys nods, clearly glad to hear it. He looks over at Sansa. "The dragons, you two will be able to watch them until we return?"

Sansa looks to Aemon, who was the one who nodded. "I've been the one feeding them, so they'll be alright." The silver-winged one lets out a small screech, almost as if confused as to why they were leaving again. Jon sighs and reaches out, scratching the bottom of his head.

"I promise we'll be giving you names soon," he whispers to the young one before turning to Daenerys. "You know where we need to go?" She nods softly. "Good."

* * *

When they did arrive at the House of Black and White, Jon was surprised to see that it literally was located in the middle of a lagoon. From afar, it truly looked like no one inhabited it and was delipidated to a point where it almost seemed dangerous to live inside. But if this was where Daenerys said they needed to go, he would believe her.

They were greeted by many sailors who seemed less than excited to row them towards the old house, but once they showed them the coin, most offered. They ended up going with an older man who had a slightly larger boat that could accustom both he, Daenerys, and Ghost, who at this point had stayed by his side without making a peep. The row over was tense, with Jon staring at the door, fingering the coin in his hands, flipping it from side-to-side.

When they got off the boat and on the deserted island, the man whispered something to them. Jon could not understand what he said, as it was in High Valyrian, but Daenerys responded perfectly. When the man began to row away, he turns to her with a perplexed expression on his face. "What did he say?"

"Valar morghulis," she responds. "It's a saying in Valyrian that means 'all men must die.' You usually respond with Valar dohaeris – 'all men must serve.'"

Jon raises an eyebrow before looking at the door. "Well, that's a nice little catchphrase and all but we don't serve anyone." As he walked forward towards the door, with Ghost at his side and Daenerys behind him, he holds the coin tightly in his hands before banging on the door, once, twice, three times. The wait almost seemed like hours, days, before the door finally squeaked itself open.

An older man that seemed to be in ragged clothes looks at him suspiciously. "What is that you want?"

"I want to speak to whoever runs this place," Jon says calmly.

"We don't do that here."

"So this building is run by no one?"

"Exactly."

Jon looks at Daenerys, who shrugs. She was just as clueless as him.

He looks back to the older man, slowly losing his patience. "Look. I'm sure it isn't you that we have issues with. But if you don't bring us to who _actually_ runs this place, it's going to be a bad time for you."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Are you that daft that you have to _ask_ if it's a threat?"

The man begins to close the door, but Jon instantly grabs the edges and slams it open away from the creak that it was at before, all the way to the other side, so much so that it makes a loud echo and dances across the water. The elder man looks at him in shock before Jon suddenly grabs him by his shirt and pins him up against the wall, so much so that his feet barely touched the ground.

"Let me repeat myself," Jon responds back, his voice even but his grip hard. "Right now, my little sister is currently _fighting for her life_ and I believe it has something to do with you people. You can either let me in peacefully, and I will bring no harm to you, or you can fight this and I'll have my direwolf feast on your insides before I burn this place to the ground. It's your choice."

At that moment Ghost lets out a low growl, and he could see the elder man shake when he says that, swallowing whatever lump he had in his throat. "W-who are you?" the man shakily asks.

"Jaehaerys Targaryen," Jon responds simply. "And this is Daenerys." He nods to where his love stood behind him, her hand at the edge of her sword. "And we _demand_ that we speak to whoever is running this place. _Now."_

"Okay, okay," the man quickly states. "I'll bring you inside just…let me down. Please."

For someone who was just threatened with death, he was acting quite calm. Maybe always being surrounded by it was something he was used to. But, Jon was a man of his word and let the man back onto his own two feet. He was breathing heavily and didn't look Jon in the eye but nods, before gesturing towards the inside of the building.

Jon looks to Daenerys who comes to his side now, with Ghost on the other, and the three of them follow the older man inside, straight into the unknown.

* * *

When they arrived on the inside of this building, Jon had to admit that it about looked just as bad as it did on the outside. It was dark, gloomy, and it seemed that the floor hadn't been cleaned in many days. There were doors that they passed that had sounds coming from within them, of people talking, something he didn't want to find out.

It seemed that Daenerys was just as peeved out as well, looking at some of the areas they were walking past. She had a feeling that dark stuff happened in here too. Jon just wanted to settle this the right way. And if they couldn't listen to his demands, he'd make sure they'd listen somehow else.

The elder man brings him to the edge of what seemed to be a fountain and directs them to sit on the edge. They don't, but they do stand near it while the man rushes off in an opposite direction, going to grab someone. Jon glances around at the walls and then at the fountain with a strange look. "Is it just me or does this water look…strange?"

"It does," Daenerys agrees. "It's almost…glowing." She glances back at him. "I have a bad feeling about this place, Jon."

Jon sighs and reaches over, taking her hand in his. "We're just going to settle our debts with these people and then we'll go. We're figuring out what happened to Arya. I promise you that." He leans over and kisses her forehead, smiling slightly at her before hearing footsteps in the distance. Instantly he turns back around to see someone coming near him, with the elder man behind.

He was dressed in robes, and his hair seemed to be a mop of a mess on his head, but he doesn't speak at first, only regards Jon and Daenerys, as well as Ghost, who instantly begins to growl as the man comes forward. That was Jon's warning sign. Usually, Ghost was very calm with new strangers but if he could sense that something was wrong, he let Jon know.

"Ah," the man begins once he stops himself in front of Jon. "A man and a woman have come here. I was told you made quite the impression on my friend here."

"Who are you?" Jon instantly asks.

"No one."

"For fuck's-" He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose before speaking again. "Look, I get that's your whole _schtick_ here but I don't want that. I want _answers_. I want to know why my little sister was bleeding to death not too long ago. And I _know_ it has something to do with this place. So either you answer my questions willingly, or I will make you."

"She is not your sister," the man responds. "Nor your cousin, nor your family. She is no one. Or she _was_ going to be no one."

"Arya Stark," Daenerys instantly states, taking her place next to Jon. "Does that name ring any bells for you?"

"We know no names here," the man states calmly.

"Answer the fucking _question,_ " Jon finally snaps, as Ghost growls and snarls at the man. He glances at the direwolf before looking back at Jon.

"I did once know a girl by the name Arya Stark. She came here, looking for training to become a Faceless Man. So she could kill the ones on her list. But in order to become that, she needed to become no one. And she could never accomplish that."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "What is this training?"

"That-"

"Alright, I know what you're going to say. That it's sacred, or whatever, but I swear to whatever gods it is that you worship, I will make sure you see them _very soon_ if you don't tell me what my sister was doing here."

The man looks to the elder one and nods at him to walk away. He does as told, glancing at Jon before heading off in the opposite direction. Once he was gone, he walks to Jon, avoiding Ghost on his other side, before gesturing to the opposite side of the hall, towards another corridor. "If you are making me tell you, I will. Follow me."

Jon nods, lowering his guard if not for a second and walking behind the man with Daenerys at his side. The silence was deafening, only the sound of footsteps echoing off the cold, stone ground beneath them. It grew darker before light revealed itself again, with thousands of torches. And, as soon as they walk inside to where the man was leading them, Jon feels his jaw drop.

 _Thousands_ of faces seemed to be lining the walls, skins of people that were carved off of faces. Jon walks around in shock, staring at some of them, completely stunned at how it seemed once could easily become someone else. Daenerys was looking at all of them, her face a bit queasy but not showing any other weakness behind that.

The man stands in the middle as Jon walks around. "We are the Faceless Men, the people who worship the Many-Faced God. The one who shows that death is nothing to fear, and we use it to our advantage…the faces that you see right now are the victims of the Many-Faced God, the ones of which lives were given to us to kill, and reuse their essence to make sure the tasks are carried out. Your sister wanted to become No One…to become a Faceless Man, but every time she tried to complete her training, she failed. I gave her one chance, an assignment to study a target that was only known as 'The Thin Man,' but as soon as she caught sight of someone her past life held vengeance for, she killed him."

Jon turns to the man in surprise. He had never thought Arya would _kill_ someone. That was news…but then again, this whole entire mess was about assassins killing people, so a part of him was also understanding. All he knew was that if she _did_ wake up, he'd have a lot to talk with her about.

"After she took the life of someone she was not allowed to take, the Many-Faced God punished her with blindness, where she had to learn to fight for herself to truly become No One. She became fearless and did as she was told, so her eyesight was returned to her. I have her a _second_ chance and asked her to kill Lady Crane, an actress, of which we were told to kill. I had one of my acolytes watch her every move, and while she did slip the poison into the woman's drink, she saved her at the last moment. She betrayed the Many-Faced God once more, and only then did I give my acolyte the ability to kill her for going against the god's wishes once more. She tried to run away but she got to her before the girl could."

Jon was standing quietly, letting the man's words process. "So…let me get this straight." He walks forward slowly. "You sent a ruthless assassin out to kill a girl because she decided at the last minute that she didn't want to murder someone that didn't deserve to die?"

"It wasn't a decision for her to make."

"She's a human fucking being," Jon snaps. " _Everyone_ has decisions that they can make like that!"

"She joined us _knowing_ what she was getting herself into, and she let her own feelings get in the way of doing what she was told," the man responds back, his voice ever calm. "She knew that the moment she did that she would be hunted. And she was rightfully hurt."

Jon was seething, but he was doing his best not to show it to the man. He looks around. "Who was the person who did this?" he asks, his voice low while nodding to Daenerys. She moves to take a stance next to him. "Who hurt her? Is she here?"

The man steps aside, and Jon sees that a woman that looked at least a bit younger than him steps out, her hands behind her back, but there was a slight smirk on her face. She stands next to Daenerys. "I did it."

"Ah, and let me guess, you are no one as well?" Jon mutters. The woman simply nods. He hmms and then turns to Daenerys. With a quick flick of his head, he says all the words he needed to say. Within seconds, Daenerys quickly takes out her sword and swings at the woman's knees from where she stood.

The assassin cries out and falls to the ground, gripping at her knees. The man that had guided them looks at her in shock and then goes to try and help her but Jon pulls out Blackfyre and aims it at his throat. He stills, instantly.

"I'll admit, you have some operation here," Jon responds, his voice barely above a whisper. "One that I think might aid us well in what we are doing…but there is no possible way that I can leave this place and let you live." The edge of his sword pokes a hole in the man's neck. "I wonder what your face would look like with all of these in here?"

"If you kill me, this whole entire system will collapse."

"You think I give a _shit_ about that?" Jon hisses at him, his grip holding tighter on his sword. He could see the man was eyeing it. "I couldn't care less if this whole island burnt to the ground."

"Many people, come here-"

"And get _murdered._ "

The woman was continuing to hold her knees. Daenerys had her own sword aimed at her. Jon lets out a deep breath before taking a step back, finally lowering his sword. Dany does the same the moment he does that.

"You know what, you don't deserve my sword. You don't deserve a quick death." He places Blackfyre back in its sheath. "If Arya had died just as quickly as you, _maybe,_ but right now she's suffering, fighting for her life. And I want you to suffer the same. I don't mess with my family, regardless if they are 'no one' or not. They're _mine._ And no one fucks around with what is _mine._ "

He looks to Ghost and then lets smiles a bit, before looking back at the man. With four words, he signals the end.

"Time to feast, Ghost."

The direwolf snarls and lunges forward, easily knocking the man down to the floor with his weight. Ghost tears into the man's flesh as he screams out in pain, at each new bite that the direwolf would inflict. Blood began to spew onto the ground, all around them, some even spraying onto Jon's legs, a few droplets coming to his face. He watches it as the man squeals and his body flays, but Jon didn't feel any pain, nor guilt. All he felt was justice.

Soon, the screams had stilled, and the body stopped. Ghost continued to munch on his chest before Jon whistled, and instantly the direwolf runs to him. His snout was covered in blood. The man's insides were spewed out along the floor. Jon scratches the top of Ghost's head.

"Good boy," he murmurs before glancing over at where the woman was, laying on the ground in pain. He looks to Daenerys, who was eyeing the body of the man before Jon turns her head to him. There was a bit of fear in her eyes, one that confused him, but the moment she saw him it melts away and turns to love once more. He leans in and kisses her gently, the screams of the woman sort of ruining the moment.

"You're _mad_!" she yells.

Jon pulls away from Daenerys and looks down at the woman, before kneeling to the ground where she was. "I'm not mad. I'm a man who's looking out for the people that I love."

"Why…why didn't you kill me?" she bites out through her pain. " _I'm_ the one that wanted to kill her."

"I know that. I can see the hatred in your eyes," Jon comments, pointing at her face. "But _he_ is the one who said okay. You wouldn't have done it without his permission. So it is _his_ fault that she is currently on a bed right now, trying to somehow stay alive." Jon lets out a long sigh and stands up once more. "You, however…you're going to want to wish for death after what we do to you."

"I don't fear death," she hisses, although her eyes betrayed her as tears had come down her face from the pain of her knees.

"You may not fear it, but you'll need it. See, I _could_ kill you. Or my love over here could. Or I could give you the same fate as your master had…or, I could burn you at the stake with my dragons." He does see the woman gulp at the mention of the end, a gulp that made him smirk a bit. "But I don't want that. Because honestly…this could work." He gestures to the room. "All of this."

Daenerys' brow furrows as she looks at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it," he says to her, turning to face his future wife. "We're Targaryen's, Dany. No matter what, people are going to try and kill us. But, if take this bitch with us and she teaches our guards the ways of this place, then they can go undercover and take out whoever is a threat. No mess, no struggles. Just a quick assassination. While I don't support what they were doing – just randomly being hired to kill _actresses,_ really? – I support taking out men or women that are a threat. And she can be the one to teach us."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "You don't think that Arya might not already know?"

"She might…and that is even if she wakes up. But even if she does, leaving this woman here and alive would be a huge mistake. We can use her to our advantage."

"…true," she mumbles before turning to him. "I like the sound of that."

"I'll never serve you!" the woman snaps at him.

Jon raises an eyebrow at her before chuckling a bit. "You're not serving _me._ You're serving _us._ And you will – even if we have to tie you up and force you. This is the life that you chose. And now you must sleep in the bed that you made. Your 'faceless' skills will be put to good use, though…for a time." He walks over to where she was on the ground. "As soon as our guards learn how to carve the faces of people, I'll make sure you're gone, whether that be me swinging the sword or someone else. But trust me….you'll come in handy, whether you want to or not."

"There are people here, others that will refuse to let you leave!" she exclaims.

"You really think they're going to stop the man who just commanded a direwolf to kill your master? Or _whoever_ he was? Your elder housekeeper let me in because I threatened him. You _really_ think any of them are going to give a _shit_ about you?" She doesn't speak. "No, because you're no one. You don't have connections, remember? No one will love you or care for you or come for you. And now, you will die as no one – when I say so."

Before she could speak again, Jon punches the woman so hard that she is completely knocked unconscious onto the ground. He lets out a low sigh and stands, taking a step back. Usually, he was one for _never_ harming women, especially hearing what Dany had gone through, he hated the very idea. But this was different. She had nearly killed – possibly killed – Arya. His family. And he wasn't about to let her get away with it.

He sighs and turns to Daenerys. "I suppose we'll have to drag her body back. I hope the inn has a place to put degenerates."

"Most inn's do for guards that pass by," Daenerys mutters, but her eyes were looking at the destroyed body of the master and the unconscious one of the woman.

Jon gently steps forward, letting his hands rest on her arms. "Dany, what's wrong?" She doesn't look his way. "What is it? Tell me."

"I…I just…" She swallows and finally turns her gaze to him. "Ghost has always been a sweetheart with me and it was just a…surprise to see him like that. And you like that…you haven't been that angry since…since the Wall."

Jon brings a hand up to her cheek, stroking gently. "Are you scared of me?"

"No," she instantly states, her brow furrowed up at him. "I could never be scared of you, Jon. I know you would never do that to me or anyone you cared about…it's just always…amazing to see this switch in you." She brings her own hand to cover his. "How you're so sweet and kind to me and your family and the rest of us but this…this man comes out when a threat is near. That you turn into…to…"

"A dragon?" he finishes for her.

"Yes," she chuckles a bit. "As silly as that sounds."

"I thought you loved that about me?"

"I do," she responds. "But that doesn't change the fact that it still amazes me. It's what I always knew you had in you, from the moment I met you…you just needed the right push to become that man."

Jon smiles a bit at her words. "Or the right woman," he murmurs, before leaning down and kissing her gently. She responds with a soft kiss of her own. When he pulls away, he glances at the dead body of the master. "We can just leave that, right?"

"Well, we're not taking him with us, we're taking the girl," Daenerys states.

"True…but what if he was a snack for Ghost?"

" _Jon._ You killed the man. Enough is enough."

"Or meat for the dragons?"

"…no."

"I sensed hesitation there."

"Jon," she chuckles, shaking her head. "Leave it for the other people who live here. We have to go back to the inn." She walks over to the other end of the woman. "Help me with this – make sure Ghost doesn't bite off any more limbs."

Jon chuckles and nods. "Alright, alright."

* * *

When they made it back to the old inn, they had brought the still unknown woman into a room that the lady provided for them – when asked regarding why they had her, they simply said they had some loose ends to tie up. And she had listened without any more questions. After they tied her up and locked her away, they made their way back up to where the others were.

As soon as they walked in, they could see that most of them were in there besides Podrick and Olly. "Where are the squires?" he asks quietly.

"The two of them went out to try and find new bandages for Aemon," Davos explains. "They should be back soon."

"Her wounds keep reopening," Aemon answers honestly. "I'm making sure she's as stable as possible but…it's hard."

Jon could see that Sansa was sniffling from where she was. Jon looks to her and then Arya before turning to Dany. "Can you explain everything that happened to them? I want to talk to Sansa alone."

Daenerys nods gently as Jon walks over to where Sansa was. He rests a shoulder on her arm and she looks up, wiping away the tears that were on her cheeks.

"Come on," he says softly to her, helping her stand. She does as he says, swallowing and glancing away. Jon looks to Barristan. "Ser Barristan, make sure that Daenerys eats. I'm sure the food Davos brought up is cold by now. We need to gain back our energy after what we just did."

"As you wish, your grace…but what did you just do?"

Jon turns to Daenerys who bites her lip. "I'll explain everything, Ser Barristan."

At that, Jon turns Sansa back to the door, gently guiding her out into the hallway. As soon as the door closes behind them, she stands up straight but glances away.

"I'm sorry for being so emotional, your grace," she mutters.

"Sansa, first of all, don't call me that in private," he says gently. "You don't have to. There's no need. You're my family. Secondly, why are you apologizing for crying?"

"B…because leaders aren't supposed to cry," she whispers.

Jon sighs and then wraps his arms tightly around her. It seems that the moment he does that, she breaks down, her head on his shoulder. He starts to rub her back gently, feeling her let out all her emotions. He could tell that she was trying to be strong for her sister's sake, for her own sake, but everyone needed to cry every once and a while. And since they had gone straight from here to the House of Black and White, they hadn't had time to properly process what happened. So much so that he felt himself hold back tears.

When he pulls away, he wipes at her eyes, seeing her take deep slow breaths. "Leaders very much do cry, Sansa," he chuckles a bit, trying to keep her calm. "What do you think I did when I saw Daenerys get stabbed? I cried many times because I felt horrible about what happened…it's okay to show your feelings like this. Don't hold everything in."

She swallows and nods before looking up at him. "I just…I _really_ want to do this right. And I wanted to make sure I could…build a better home for her to return to because I _knew_ somehow back then she would survive, and yet…seeing her like this, I…it's broken me. If _she_ can get killed I…I don't know what to do."

"Hold on, she's not gone yet," Jon says to her gently. "And second…sometimes the worst things happen to the strongest of people. We just need to pray that she'll make it through it."

Sansa nods, taking a step back, letting out a soft sigh.

"What's the real reason you pulled me out here? Just to comfort the crying girl?" she asks quietly.

"No, actually," Jon chuckles a bit. "I actually wanted to commend you on what you've been doing…you've been shadowing Dany a lot, and she told me your suggestions that you gave her about attacking Cersei, your thoughts about Winterfell…how you want to sew her wedding dress to thank her." Sansa's cheeks redden at that. "That's amazingly sweet of you. And the fact that you're not only watching her but _helping_ her in her rule is even better. I'm so proud of you…even after everything we've both gone through, we're still here. And there's a reason for that. Don't let your insecurities get to you."

The moment he says that she smiles a bit and nods, clearly thankful for the feedback.

"Also…" He clears his throat and glances at the door. "A lot happened today in that building. A lot that I've come to a realization." He looks back at her. "I don't have a lot of family left. I have Dany, and I love everything about her, but Aemon will die soon. There's no sense in cutting around that because he is old and it _will_ happen. But you and Arya…you are my family. The last of the Starks…I don't know if Bran or even Rickon is still alive but…but I know you are. You and Arya may be my cousins by blood, but you'll always be my sisters. You know I just have to say that for formality's sake."

Sansa smiles at him and nods. "Thank you, Jon…I feel the same." The two of them embrace tightly, and Jon lets out a soft sigh, one that lets out all the shit he had on his chest for some time now. Sansa was growing into a smart young woman. And eventually, he'd be happy to leave Winterfell in her arms.

When she pulls back, however, there was a look on her face that spoke volumes.

"What is it?"

"A…about Rickon." She reaches into one of her pockets and hands what seemed to be a piece of parchment to Jon. "You might want to read this."

Jon looks at her in confusion before quietly taking the letter from her, opening it up, his eyes quickly scanning the handwriting. And the moment he begins to read, his blood turns cold once more.

* * *

_Daenerys_

She had seen a lot of dead bodies in her life at this point. Drogo, her khalasar, Jon, the betrayers, but never did she think she'd see something like Arya.

Yes, she wasn't dead yet but it was…sort of like the pre-death. She seemed completely still. Her chest rising slowly. Her injuries gruesome with puss leaking from the edges. Daenerys, the moment she had sat down, had instantly begun to try and pray for her, though she had never believed in many gods.

She had told everyone about what had happened at the House of Black and White. Most did not seem surprised that Jon did that considering Ghost's mullet was still covered in blood from his meal. They were more concerned about the woman that was locked away downstairs, but Daenerys assured them that there was no possible way she was escaping – not with the way she sliced up her knees.

After that, she had started to dine on the cold food that Davos had brought up – it was warm but they had left so quickly she didn't even get to have any – before settling next to Arya's bed, the silence deafening in the room. At one point, she had begun to talk to Aemon, trying to figure out the next steps if she did unfortunately pass. And he said that they would get there if they did get there.

Ser Barristan had spoken to her about their next steps, but she had reaffirmed to him that there was no way they could move on with Arya in her condition, and they needed to wait until they had a definite answer if she would live or not. They had agreed but said that caution needed to be taken with certain things coming up. Daenerys had asked what he was referring to.

And that was right before Jon had stormed back in, walking straight up to Ser Barristan with what appeared to be a letter in his hands.

"Why the _fuck_ didn't you send us word of this?!" he snaps.

"Jon," she instantly states, standing up to come to his side. "What is it?"

"I thought it would be better if you saw it yourself," Barristan says calmly. "That's the only reason I did not send it to you."

Jon curses. "Well, now there's a chance he might be dead!"

" _Jon. What is it?"_ Daenerys persists. Jon sighs and then hands the letter over to Daenerys, who takes it into her hands. As soon as she reads through it to the end, she feels her bite her lip. She could sense where Jon's anger was coming from. "Ser Barristan, how long ago did you receive this letter?"

"Before we even set sail to here, your grace."

"…seven hells," she mutters before lowering it to the bed. "So now Rickon has been captured by Ramsey? He is threatening us."

"If we don't hand back over Sansa and let him have Winterfell, he'll kill him," Jon snarls. "Let his dogs tear him bit by bit. Spoon my fucking eyes – I'll fucking show him." He grabs the letter and practically crunches it in his grip. "He has no idea who he's testing."

"I know, Jon," Daenerys says gently to him. "You need to take a deep breath. He's no threat to you." She squeezes his hand, trying to get him to calm down. He looks down at her and slowly, she begins to see his stance relax and his fists unclench with the letter. "You don't need to worry about him. You'll be able to take him out easily."

"Oh, if he wants an army, I'll give him an army," Jon answers quietly before looking away. "But Rickon is still in danger…and who knows how long he is going to keep him alive." He looks over to Sansa. "How many houses do think would fight in the North?"

Sansa shakes her head slowly. "I'm not entirely sure…a couple but I don't think enough to take on Ramsey's men alone."

"Then you can sail over some Unsullied," Davos suggests.

"It'll take too long," Jon mutters. "I'm terrified that because we haven't responded he might have already done something."

"You know, who's to say that this even is Rickon?" Brienne suddenly suggests from the corner, causing all of them to look over. "I mean, of course, you should still fight Ramsey because he has your home, and I'll help you and I'm sure the rest of us will as well, but who's to say he isn't just bluffing?"

"Then it's still our home," Jon answers. "Or…part of my family's home. I need to take it back from him. The _Starks_ are meant to have Winterfell, not the fucking Bolton's. And one way or another, I'll make sure that he sees that." He glances at the ground and sighs softly. "I…I'm going to go down to the beach. Get some air."

He leaves without another word to them. Daenerys looks between all of them and stands, before grabbing the little carrier that the three dragons had been in before. "I'm going to see him. Don't worry about me," she commands to Ser Barristan, who nods, letting her head off to where he went.

* * *

She heads down the stairs to where it led outside to one of the many beaches the islands of Braavos had. Daenerys walks outside for a moment before spotting Jon's dark mop of hair peek out from behind some rocks, his legs in the water, sitting on the sand. She quietly walks over to him and then leans down, taking a seat next to where he was.

He looks up at her and sighs as she lowers the holder down to the sand. "I apologize for storming out," he responds.

"It's alright," she says softly. "It's your family. I understand."

"It's just…" He lets out another long sigh, his hands in his hair. "I feel like every time I'm close to finding someone I care about, _something_ bad happens to them. You nearly died at Hardhome. Sansa was beaten and tortured at the hands of that bastard. Arya is nearly dead on the bed upstairs. Now Rickon is in danger and gods only know _where_ the fuck Bran is. I feel like…I'm trying so hard to keep them safe but no matter what, everything falls apart."

Daenerys reaches over and takes his hands in hers. "Jon, what is happening right now is something that _completely_ out of your control. You didn't know where your family had gone off to. Yes, we've stumbled upon them years later, but it has nothing to do with how you are as a person. I know for a _fact_ I have never met someone who has tried his hardest to keep his family safe, _especially_ with me. You're not a failure. You're the best man I know."

Jon was silent for a moment before a small smirk comes over his lips. "You're just saying that because I'm your family."

"I _mean_ it," she whispers. "I told Viserys what a horrible man he was before Drogo killed him. I _watched_ him die because I knew he was terrible. But with you…you're everything good. I know that you have a temper. I know that you care immensely about us. But don't you ever say that everything you do is falling is apart. If anything, it's coming together now…you have to have faith. Arya _will_ awaken and Rickon _will_ be safe soon. You have to stay positive in all this…it's the only way we're going to win this. We can't let their tricks or issues get to us."

Jon swallows before nodding and then kisses her gently on the forehead. "I'm pretty sure if I didn't have you the madness would have gotten to me already."

"Oh, don't say that," she murmurs. "You could never."

"I _need_ you, Dany," he whispers, pulling back after a moment. "I…I can feel myself slip when I get angry. I act calm but…there's so much rage built up inside over everything…but you keep me grounded. You're the person who catches my slip-ups. Without you…"

"Don't act like you don't do that for me," she responds back tenderly. "We fit each other perfectly…I've always felt that. Even from the first moment I met you."

Jon chuckles a bit. "Even when I was a stubborn commander?"

" _Especially_ when you were stubborn commander."

Jon laughs and wraps an arm around her, before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. When he pulls away, he nuzzles his nose against hers, speaking gently, "Ñuha dāria."

Her grin widens when he says that, knowing instantly that it meant 'my queen.' Quietly, she responds, reaching out to his hand with "Ñuha dārys."

Jon then kisses her again before he pulls away and raises his brow at the holder, of which the dragons were clawing at. "I hate keeping them in there," he mutters before slowly opening it. Instantly they fly out, landing on their shoulders and arms, stretching their wings. "Why'd you bring them out?"

"Well…I thought it would be something to make you happy again. They _are_ in need of names," she suggests softly.

Jon smiles and nods, looking to where the silver one rests. "That is true." The black one holds his head at the edge of Jon's foot, screeching when it touched the water and flying off. Jon chuckles as the golden one lands on Dany's thighs, its head looking curiously at her stomach.

"What are you acting so silly for?" she whispers to the dragon before it turns around and settles on her legs. "Well, I think I have a name for this golden one."

Jon nods at her to speak. "What is it?"

"Our ancestors used to name their dragons after the Valyrian gods…while I'm not entirely enthralled by that, I have always loved their names. Rhaenys rode Meraxes when she, Visenya, and Aegon conquered all of Westeros…to honor them, I want to name this one Meraxes."

"I think it's perfect," Jon says softly before looking at Meraxes. "You like that, young one?"

The dragon screeches out, stretching its wings once more while Daenerys smiles.

Jon looks down at the black and silver-winged ones, both looking at him curiously. "For the black…I think I'm going to go the way you are." He looks over at her. "I've done some studying on the gods of Valyria in free time and one stood out to me…Arrax, the god of law. The two of us…we're trying to bring back order to Westeros. To stop all this…nonsense from happening. I think naming a Targaryen dragon after that will not only help our chance of gaining the people's loves back but gives us a good name."

"That's smart of you," she quips.

"I do have my moments," he answers back, which causes her to chuckle. "Arrax…I think it works well." He smiles gently and scratches the black dragon on his head, who rests on the sand. "As for you, little one." He looks over at the silver-winged dragon, who lets out a little screech as it walked to him. "I'm naming her after my mother…my real one. Lyanys." He looks back at Daenerys. "I know that she could have done more but…it's the best way I can honor her. It's the reason why I'm here with you."

Daenerys smiles at him softly before leaning over, kissing him again. When she pulls away, she looks to the dragons, grinning. "I think that's a beautiful name, Jon. She would have loved it." He holds her hand tightly, keeping it close to her before the two of them stand. The three dragons all fly onto their shoulders, resting.

"Meraxes, Arrax, and Lyanys," Jon comments lightly.

"The next generation of dragons," Daenerys responds.

He nods and squeezes her hands again. "And may there be many more."

She nods in response with a smile, agreeing the two of them turning with the dragons on their shoulders, grabbing the carrier as they did. However, as soon as Jon turns, he feels himself still. Daenerys takes a few paces forward before she realizes he had stopped and turned to him, Meraxes tilting her head at him as well.

"Jon, what is it?"

"He's staring at me."

Daenerys quickly turns her head to see whom he was looking at, the voice startling her. A man, not much older than him, walked onto the beach, keeping a good amount of distance between him and the two of them. Jon felt his heart speed up. The world felt like it was spinning. But he knew _exactly_ who stood in front of him.

His hair was just as dark, if not longer. A beard sat on his face. He looked lanky, and he had on clothes that were far from the robes and items he used to wear. But it was him. It was fucking _him._

And then, in a puff of air of disbelief, Jon shakes his head. "It can't be." The dragons start to curl into him, Lyanys flying behind him as if worried about the man watching them.

He takes a single step forward, and there was a slight, tired smile on his lips. But he speaks anyway. "It's good to see you, brother."

The man that stood in front of him, a man that he thought was dead, was none other than Robb Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...thoughts? XD
> 
> Before anyone says anything - Robb didn't die in my story. He's not a reincarnation of Lady Stoneheart or anything. He was thought to be dead. I'll explain everything in the next chapter - but that doesn't mean Lady Stoneheart is completely out of the picture *wiggles brow mischievously* Theorize away as to how he'll play into the story because oooooh boy I got plans. 
> 
> If you guys can, please let me know what you think of this chapter. I noticed I got a little bit less reviews on the last one and while I absolutely love writing this story I always adore hearing what you all have to say and I took a big risk with this one because I thought no one ever brings Robb into this, so I hope it's worth it. So please let me know what you think in the comments, as they always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you. You've been amazing thus far and I'm so happy you all have been enjoying this - you are all amazingly awesome! And it would be a great Christmas present to hear what you all have to say about Robb's return haha don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join us on our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a great day! And happy holidays to all of you as well!
> 
> Next up: The Starks have a surprising reunion. Lines are drawn. Plans are made. And a sudden rivalry is born.


	23. A Heartbreaking Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robb and Jon have a *talk,* plans are made, and Daenerys comes to a realization that must be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all SO MUCH for the amazing response on the last chapter. You really made my Christmas and it made me so happy to hear what you all had to say about my little cliffhanger and how the story is going. With this one, we're going into a bit of sad territory so be prepared. I got a little verklempt writing this myself near the end so I hope you all are ready, but I promise everything happens for a reason. Let me know what you think!

_Jon_

He stares for as long as he could, unmoving.

It seemed like the world had come to a complete halt. There, in front of him, stood his brother. A man that he had not seen in years. A man that he had believed to be dead, for a very long time. And yet, here he was, standing, staring at him with almost a look of genuine curiosity. But all Jon could do was stand still, his mind processing what was happening.

That was until Robb glanced at Lyanys and raised his brow, saying, "Didn't know you took a new pet on as well."

That seemed to wake Jon up from his stupor and he shakes his head, before gently removing the small dragon from around his shoulders and handing it to Daenerys. Arrax follows not long after, settling near her feet. "How are you…why…I'm so bloody confused."

"It's…a long story," Robb honestly states. "I'd rather not…talk out here. I want to speak with you…alone."

Daenerys seemed to pick up on that quickly and she reaches out, squeezing Jon's arm. "I'll bring the dragons back into the inn…I think you and he need to talk." Jon could hardly believe what was happening but he nods. She turns to Robb and a polite smile comes over her lips. "I didn't expect to meet another Stark like this, but it's nice to meet you, Robb."

"You as well...your grace, as I've heard," Robb states, his tone even.

She nods lightly. "That is what I tend to go by, yes…but we can discuss formalities later. I'll leave you two alone." She whistles for the dragons and instantly they gather around her, some climbing onto her shoulders. Soon they'd be too big to do that. She leans up and presses a soft kiss to Jon's cheek before heading off, leaving the two of them alone.

The moment she disappeared around the corner, Robb turns to him.

"What happened to the Night's Watch?"

"Don't fucking ask me about anything," Jon instantly states. "You don't have the right to ask when _everyone_ thought you were dead for _years._ Where the _fuck_ have you been?"

Robb lets out a deep sigh before gesturing to the path behind him. "Please…let's go talk in one of the taverns. I promise I can explain everything to you there. Don't turn me away like this."

Jon looks at him, finally feeling his senses return after a moment before he slowly nods. "Fine…lead the way."

* * *

They leave from the beach a moment later, the two of them silent and heading to the closest inn beside the one they were staying in, a few paces into the cobblestone of the streets. When they walk in, Robb hands the innkeeper one of the coins from his pocket and the two of them sit down in a booth in the corner. Jon was silent, leaning against his seat while Robb grabbed two goblets of what seemed to be wine.

"The Braavosi have some of the best wine," he says quietly as he sits, handing Jon a cup. "Better than Dornish wine, I'd say."

"Robb." His voice was clean. Cut. "Stop with the small talk. Speak."

Robb was silent for a moment. He brings the goblet to his lips and sighs before speaking. "I know what you were told. That I was thrown into the river. Never to be seen again, my body gone. But I…I didn't die that night. When I was first stabbed, I was unconscious. That I know of. But when I woke up, I was at the edge of what seemed to be a riverbank. It was as if the water had floated me away. I could still see the Frey's castle in the distance…but by some grace of whatever gods were in the sky, I was alive. My body was in pain. I could feel the life draining, but with the bit of it I still had left, I had two options…go back to the Frey's and die there, and see all my men get slaughtered in front of me, or run and die somewhere else, knowing I've already lost…so I ran."

He pushes his goblet away, looking outside.

"I ran away from everything that had happened. I ran from the river, from my men, from the castle. I had no choice. If I returned there, they would only hurt more. I needed to make sure at least some people got to live after…after the Red Wedding. But all I could think about was the pain that came over me. The feeling of the blood leaving my body. I needed help before someone found me."

He looks back at Jon, who was still as silent as the night.

"I found an inn not too far down the road. A kind old woman took care of me, and when I said that I needed to be hidden, she complied. I stayed there for a couple of days, healing. When I felt that I was ready to go on, I did, and she said she'd keep my secret. No one came looking for me. I assume it was because they thought my body had been eaten or something like that. But I didn't know what to do. I didn't have an army anymore. I lost the North. I was no longer a king…I was just nothing. I thought about coming up to the Wall to see you, but at the same time, I was terrified that the same people who betrayed me would show their faces again. I couldn't go South, so I did the next best thing – I went East."

He glances back at the table, taking the goblet back into his hands.

"I went to Volantis first…I told Talisa's family about her death. I found them and spoke with them about everything...it was horrible to bring up the situation again but I needed to let them know what had happened to their daughter. And when that was done, I just…traveled. I walked around the Free Cities. I drank away my troubles. I met plenty of whores and thieves along the way…and then afterward, I found my way here, and stayed for a while. But soon, I started to hear stories of a former Lord Commander coming East, and that he was traveling with the dragon queen…after that, I knew I needed to find you. I heard rumors from people, asked around as much as I could from the travelers from the North, hiding who I was…then I overheard two younger boys talking. They seemed to be training but they mentioned your name, and how they would return soon to you…that you had gone to the House of Black and White for some reason. I didn't know. But I knew that I needed to stay close if you returned."

Blasted. That was Olly and Podrick he had heard.

"And soon enough, you did…and I knew I needed to speak with you." He leans back in his booth, staring at Jon, waiting. "I know I don't deserve any kindness for abandoning my men. I know it was horrible to run away. But I had no choice. Even so, if you have something to say, just say it."

Jon was quiet for a moment, looking down at the goblet of wine of his that had remained untouched. For a second, he was silent, wondering what to say. And then, he finally turns to look at his former brother.

"I'm not angry at you for abandoning your men," Jon states calmly, to which he sees Robb look at him in surprise.

"You of all people are not angry about that?" he asks with a raised brow.

"No. I'm not. Because that was a shit show, what had happened. Most of your people were killed or forced to flee. Your mother was killed. Your wife was killed. Everyone was murdered. If I was in your situation, I would have run as well. Luckily, I don't think I'll ever be." He holds the goblet now in his hands, bringing it to his lips finally to taste the wine. It was sweet, like cherries. "What I am angry about is that you abandoned the North. Your _family._ "

"I…I didn't-"

"You're telling me that at some point you didn't fucking know that the _Bolton's_ took over Winterfell, and what's worse, took _Sansa_ as Ramsey's bride?"

"I knew they took Winterfell and her but I-what was I going to do? I had no men. He has a whole army!"

"You think Ser Barristan gave a shit about that?" Jon suddenly snaps.

"Ser…Ser Barristan?"

"Yes. The man that actually _volunteered_ to retrieve my sister. The man that was able to sneak into Winterfell, kill anyone that came in his way, and save her, without barely breaking a sweat in his older age. He saved her because I didn't think there was anyone else that could. I had to protect someone at the Wall, I had duties, but the least I could do is try and find someone that _could_ help her. And yet, you were alive the whole time…and you did nothing. You hid away in Braavos like a coward."

"A coward? That's rich coming from someone who abandoned his own post," Robb points out.

"I didn't abandon shit. My watch had ended."

"That's bloody impossible. But if it did happen, I see it must have something to do with the Targaryen wh-"

"You say another fucking word and I won't hesitate to make sure that wound you received gets a second shot that's fatal," Jon hisses angrily.

He always knew that Robb had grown up hating the Targaryen's, for what they had done to his deceased uncle as well as his grandfather. He thought he would never have to deal with that, considering he had imagined that Robb was in fact _dead._ But instead, this was what he was introduced to.

"So she's got you captured under her spell as well?" Robb mutters.

"There is no _spell,"_ Jon snaps. "She is my _family._ I'm not a Stark."

"You're a bastard, Jon, but you're still a Stark."

"I'm _not._ "

"How could you align with her? She's the _Mad King's daughter!_ You know what he did to our grandfather! And our uncle!"

"She's not her father, for fuck's sake. She's-" Jon stops himself to breathe before letting himself get ahead. He was not about to let Robb's words get to him. Instead, he composes his mind before looking to him. "I am not a Stark. I'm not a bastard either."

"Well, now you're just mad."

"I am Jaehaerys Targaryen," Jon states, his voice firm. "Son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark."

Robb stares at him for a second before he begins to laugh, shaking his head, his hand on his chest. "Oh stop, you've killed me. You're going to make my wound reopen." However, Jon was not laughing. In fact, his hands were growing dangerously tight on the edge of his seat at Robb's laughter. And when Robb noticed that Jon was not laughing, his own sensations seized and he stared at Jon in shock. "You're…you're not joking?"

"I am not."

"That's…that's impossible."

"It's really not." Jon nods towards where they had come from. "Maester Aemon, a Targaryen himself, has all the parchment that shows it. I'm not a Stark. I never have been…only half. I'm a Targaryen. A dragon."

"Then…then you're still a bastard. Rhaegar _raped_ Lyanna!"

"He didn't. He loved her," Jon responds. "They married in secret. He had his marriage to Elia annulled. I'm their son…a trueborn son. Their love…caused a war." He looks at the table, letting his own thoughts get to him. "While that has sat with me for some time, I refuse to let it stop me from doing what I plan to do."

"So…that means you're the heir to the throne? Not the dragon queen?"

" _We_ are the heirs. I'm not taking anything from her."

Robb was silent for a second, looking at the table. Jon knew that it would be a lot to process, really for anyone. He had expected to be telling Arya this news next but he supposed that Robb was the next best person to speak to it about. And a moment later, he shakes his head, still in disbelief. "I…I can't believe that."

"Why do you think I had dragons on me? They were mine."

"How?!"

"We hatched them when I was killed and brought back to life through fire."

"I- _what?! You died?!"_

"It's a long story," Jon quips, mentioning Robb's comment from earlier. "But I refuse to share it with you if you dare say anything bad about Daenerys again."

Robb doesn't speak, but Jon could see the complication that appeared in his eyes. A moment later, he takes a deep breath and looks back to Jon. "How…did you two meet?"

"She actually came to the Wall, seeking guidance from Maester Aemon about what to do in Meereen…I originally wasn't going to go with her. I wanted to stay for my duty…to protect the North against the true threat but I…I couldn't do it without her. I couldn't stay there and willingly let her go. So I was going to leave, to find men to bring back. But the brothers didn't agree with that. And they…killed me. Daenerys brought me back through fire…that's when the dragon eggs hatched. When I came back, I was told the truth. And I killed the traitors…or at least dealt with them"

"…how did you feel? When you…found out, I mean."

"Angry," came Jon's simple answer. "Upset. Confused. Everything you could imagine but…she was there for me like she has been for so long…one thing lead to another and we came here together, with Sansa once she was brought back to us…we plan to take back the throne again. Both of us."

Robb was looking at his goblet once more, swirling around the wine inside. "Sansa is…here?"

"Yes, she is." Jon lets out a deep breath and looks at him, letting his hands rest on the table again. "For the sake of her love for you, I won't tell her that you knew about her being at Winterfell. That will be your choice."

Robb was silent again, nodding his head. After taking a sip of his wine again, he turns to Jon. "So…you're going to be a king?"

"…that is the goal, yes."

"Funny how life turns out," Robb states, his voice barely above a whisper. It was almost hard to hear over the chatter of the room. "I always thought that…I…never mind." He swallows and glances back at the table. "Jaehaerys…it's a strange name."

"I like it."

"I know, but…it's weird to think of you as anything else but Jon." He looks back at him. "And…you're going to marry her?"

"I am."

"Sticking to Targaryen ways?"

" _Robb._ "

"I'm only saying she's… _pure_ Targaryen, directly from her father. Are you sure that you want to marry _that?_ "

"First of all, that isn't as rare as you'd think. _Everyone's_ family has done that," Jon instantly states. "Even the Starks. Even the Lannister's. Probably somewhere in the Tully's as well. It's not a fucking big deal. And second, I don't have to defend why I love her to you. I don't need to do that because you let your own wife die because of your stupid decisions. I will not be doing the same."

Instantly Robb's eyes turn cold. "Watch what you say, brother."

"Well, how about you don't insult my future wife?" Jon suggests. "And I'll think about not letting you get torn apart by Ser Barristan."

Robb's expression turned angry, but it wasn't enough where Jon knew he would storm out. Instead, he shakes his head and looks away, before letting out a deep sigh. "I know I've made horrible decisions. I _know_ I have…and I feel horrible about it with each passing minute of every day. You don't think I hated telling her family that she died on my hands? It was agonizing. I loved her…with every part of me. And I know it was wrong but I didn't care…and I failed her. I know that. But there's nothing I can do now." He looks at the table. "Except try and…regain what I've lost. I only want my family back. I want my _home_ back. I don't care about the throne of anything else…I just want Winterfell to be returned to who it was rightfully for."

Jon raises his brow. "And that's why you wanted to find me?"

"No, you idiot, I wanted to find you because I thought you were my brother," Robb instantly states. "Or…I guess my cousin now." He lets out a deep breath. "But...if you're as powerful now as you say you are…yes, I am looking for aid to retrieve the North back."

Jon snorts a bit. "And what in the name of all the Old Gods makes you think the North will rally behind you again?"

"I don't." Robb shakes his head. "I don't think that. I know that it will be long before I can be forgiven for my past actions. I _know_ that I must be worthless in their eyes…but if I have you or Sansa or our _family_ at my side, I believe we _can_ bring people back. Sooner rather than later."

"It _has_ to be sooner," Jon mutters. "Because more of the Starks are trapped there."

Robb's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

Jon bites his lip and glances back at Robb. He was feeling so much conflict within his own mind. Yes, this was _Robb._ The man he thought was dead. The man that had been the only good family member to him when he was young besides Arya, who had trained with him. But this was also _Robb,_ the man that had constantly undermined him as well, saying he could never be lord of anything, and now…here they were.

He could _still_ see those two conflicting sides of this man. The one that was happy Jon was alive, but now that he had power, there was something else in his gaze – _jealousy._ Add that in with his common hatred of Targaryen's and Jon had a reason to be nervous a bit. He didn't think Robb would change so easily as Sansa had when she first met Daenerys.

But, he was passionate about his family. He wanted to save Winterfell. And that was what they needed to do if they wanted to save Rickon as well.

Jon knew that he wouldn't let his guard down with him. Not yet. Not like this. But he also knew that if Robb was willing to offer the help to take back Winterfell, he would take it. Besides his poor decisions, Robb had won _every_ battle he had been a part of. He knew military strategy off the back of his hand. If they weren't going to be able to bring any of Dany's men with them, they were going to need it.

So, he forgets his worries for a moment, and gives in to the necessity – the need to let go of his Targaryen side for a moment, and focus on the Stark half. "They have Rickon."

* * *

_Daenerys_

"I think she's starting to feel better. I can see color on her face."

The words of Sansa distracted Daenerys' thoughts of Jon and Robb, wondering what in the name of the seven hells had brought them together again. She was worried about what Robb would say to him. Jon had told her about Robb's distaste for the Targaryen's long ago…and she had a feeling that might have translated over to her, but she did best to keep her tongue in check and focus on other things.

Instead, she had gone back to the inn to take care of Arya and watch as Sansa doted on her sister, with the dragons now resting along with Ghost. It was funny, how they seemed to have attached themselves to the direwolf. They slept all around him. Dany thought it was extremely sweet.

Sooner or later, however, the door had opened, and Jon and Robb had stepped in.

There was a mix of reactions. Sansa had stared in shock before running forward, practically screaming her brother's name before jumping into his arms, tears streaming down her face. She had said over and over "I thought you were gone," to which Robb had reassured her he was there. Both Barristan and Davos seemed surprised but pleased to see the former Stark heir alive. The squires greeted him with a bow, as did Brienne. Robb had recognized her and said that she had gotten taller, if anything, and thanked her for keeping Sansa as safe as she could. He had met Aemon, who had gladly shaken his hand after Jon's gentle nudge.

And when he had seen Arya, he had asked what had happened, and they had explained as best as they could. He had been upset, angry, all the same as she had expected, but had moved on a moment later when Sansa had said they were taking good care of her and trying to get back to health. Soon, the Starks would be united once more. At least some of them.

It was nice, for the time being. All while they were talking, however, while Robb spoke to each of them of his story, she had gotten up to stand next to Jon, who was silent, watching them all. She had taken his hand and moved him out the door so she could speak privately while they all talked.

"So? How did it go?" she asks softly. "What happened?"

"It…went about as well as you can imagine," Jon responds before looking down at her. "He told me about everything that's happened and I told him and…he said some things." She raises an eyebrow. "Nothing that I didn't shut down but…enough where I was concerned if he could be around us." He looks back over at her, letting his hands rest gently on her sides. "But…I think his want for his family to be safe is bigger than his former hatred. I told him about how the Bolton's have Rickon and he agreed…we need to go there as soon as possible."

She nods quietly. "I think that's a good plan as well…and with Robb at your side, it might be…easier?"

"I'd think the opposite, really," he responds. "He really fucked up his claim in the North…many are going to be unforgiving of what he has done but…but we have no choice. We can't move the men over to fight…we need the ones behind us." He looks down at her and smiles a bit. "You want to be in the cold again?"

Daenerys snorts and shakes her head. "I'd rather not, but if I'm at your side, I feel that it'll be worth it."

Jon smiles and wraps his arms around her before pecking her forehead gently. "I love you," he says when he pulls away. "We'll get through this together. I promise you that. And when we're done in Winterfell, we'll go to Dragonstone together."

"What…what are you going to do about Robb and…Sansa?" she asks him slightly. "We've been training her to take over but if he returns…"

Jon sighs and rubs his face, pinching the bridge of his nose impatiently. "I know, I know…that's been on my mind since I saw him…it's something we're going to have to discuss down the line. But the main goal now is to get back Winterfell…after that, once it's in our hands again, we can see who will take over." He looks over at her. "Whatever the choice…some of the lords will probably not be happy."

"You can't make everyone happy. Even you said that."

Jon smiles a bit and nods. "I did, didn't I?" He squeezes her hand and then takes a step back. "I'm going to go and get some water down below, maybe bring up some soup for the rest of us…Robb wants to talk about what is going to happen after this. Do you want anything?" She shakes her head and lets go of his hand. "I'll be back in a moment."

He heads down the stairs, leaving her alone in the hallway. She lets out a soft sigh and glances at the ground, wondering what this trip had turned into. A simple pick-up was beginning to transform into something else. She'd need to make sure Barristan sent out a raven to Meereen to let them know what was happening.

Suddenly, the door opens, and she looks over to see Robb step out, closing the door behind him. When he turns to face her, he seemed surprised to see her standing so still waiting for Jon. "Where did he go?" he asks lightly.

"Down to the innkeeper below to get some drinks…some food as well for this meeting you have."

Robb nods quietly before clearing his throat. "Look, I'm…sure Jon told you what I said."

"He told me you said some things. He didn't get into specifics. I'd rather not hear what it was," Daenerys states simply. "I know your feelings against my family, but if you hate the Targaryen's so, you shouldn't even be speaking to Jon."

"I…" Robb lets out a deep breath before looking away. "If you were faced in my position, you would be thinking the same thing."

"I'm not saying you are wrong. _Many_ men have thought the same thing when meeting me," Daenerys responds. "Some are too prideful to not think of someone as their own person instead of relating them to their family. Jon was not. He gave me a chance. And if you want to be included in his family once your battle with Ramsey is over, you must too."

"I know that. And it's why I'm here now," Robb instantly states before looking back at her. "You need to understand what sort of problem I'm in. All my life, I've heard nothing but horror stories about the Targaryen's. About what they've done. And now to find out that my cousin is not only a Targaryen but marrying one…it's messing with my head. But I can see that he cares about you and who you are and I'm not about to come between him because I'm pretty sure he would have killed me…and I trust his judgment. At least in the past, I did."

"And now you don't because he's with me?"

"I didn't say that…much has happened. People change. I am surely not the same man I've been years ago. He isn't either. Neither is Sansa the same girl. The Starks have been through everything at this point…but I can't let former grudges or anger get in the way of what we have to do, and that's save our home…or at least what used to be his."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow at him lightly. "That's mature of you."

"Well…I did use to be a king," Robb points out. "You have to be mature for something like this."

Daenerys nods lightly before turning to face him head-on. "If you prove to be useful to Jon I'm sure he'll take care of you after the war. He cares about those who keep him safe." Robb raises his brow at her lightly.

"What do you mean take care of me?"

"Jon is going to be king of the seven kingdoms. He'll have more power than any lord of the North. If you wanted, you could have an army back." Robb glances away. "Let me guess…you still support the North being independent?"

Robb slowly shakes his head. "No…I mean, I do but…the North is in a fragile place right now. Even I can admit that from afar. It needs as much help as it can get. And…a part of me does believe that the Targaryen's can bring that, at least from looking at Jon." He looks down at her. "But – and I mean this in the best way possible – I love my brother – or cousin, or whatever it is, I don't know – but I've seen…his rage recently when I was in the inn. I always knew he had anger but now that I know about his heritage it…makes a lot more sense. And if I see any trace of…what you know of, I won't hesitate. I can't have the realm under that again. No one can. I know it's not my place but after what's happened to so many family's…it's only normal to have these thoughts…please don't have your dragons burn me."

Daenerys lets out a soft laugh before shaking her head. "I told you before, I don't blame you for those thoughts…but know that nothing of that sort will happen. As long as Jon and I are together, madness isn't a question."

"What if one of you dies?"

"…what?"

"I mean….be realistic," Robb states quietly, turning to her fully now. "You two, what you are entering…is the deadliest thing you could do. People will easily lose their lives, whether they are innocent or not…I almost lost my own mind when my wife was killed but…I feel like you and Jon are…different, at least from what he says. But if he dies…what happens then?"

"Th…that's ridiculous, I-"

"It's not, Daenerys. It's something you need to think about."

Before she could respond, there were some steps that came up the stairs. Jon still slightly when he sees the two of them together. "Everything alright?" he asks.

She forces a smile and nods. "Of course. We were waiting for you." She looks over at Robb. "How about you go and collect Sansa? We can head down to another room here. I'm sure the woman who runs won't mind at all. And make sure she brings the maps with her."

Robb nods and heads back into the room. Once he was gone, Jon hands her the glass of water that he had retrieved from down in the tavern. "They were making food still…Dany, are you sure you're okay? You seem as pale as a sheet."

No. No, she wasn't okay. Robb had put this into her mind. What _if_ Jon died? She had told Daario herself she couldn't live without him…and she knew that wasn't just her playing. And while it was sweet to pretend she and Jon were invincible, they weren't. Both of them could die like _that._

She didn't think madness would set in, as Robb probably had some sort of idea. She didn't blame him for thinking that. No, madness would not be her downfall. Grief would.

But, she doesn't show that. Instead, she waves her hand dismissively and looks up at him. "I'm alright, Jon…you don't need to worry about me. I'm sure it's just from the craziness that we have had here." She leans up and presses her lips against his, trying to reassure him through it. He doesn't seem to mind, wrapping an arm lightly around her so that he could keep an eye on the glass next to them. When she pulls away, that was when everyone collected outside of the room. Sansa closes the door gently, turning to them.

"I'm letting them keep an eye on Arya for the time-being…I suppose we have much to talk about?" she questions them.

"Yes, much," Jon agrees, taking a step back and nodding towards the stairs. "Let us leave."

* * *

"Well, there's no way the Karstarks will turn to our side. That's a nonstarter."

Robb's voice had penetrated their thoughts as they spoke, talking about the best Northern houses that would best back the claim that the Starks had to Winterfell. Jon had brought up the wildlings, and while Robb had been shocked and a bit perplexed at the fact that wildlings were now loyal to Jon, he had accepted it, knowing it was one of their best options to use against the Boltons.

But Northern houses…now that was a whole different story.

"Then who exactly would be loyal?" Jon finally asks. "I know because of what you did-"

"What I did was _needed,"_ Robb snaps at him before letting out a deep breath. "The Karstarks won't turn in…and from the letter I saw, it seems the Umbers are refusing to be loyal as well, thanks to your plan of bringing the wildlings down…but there are a few that I believe will answer the call." Robb spreads out the map of Westeros that Sansa had kept with her. "The Mormont's have always held true to their vows. I don't know who exactly runs the island anymore, but we must go there, see what they have."

Daenerys bites her lip before she looks at him. "I can send a raven to Jorah Mormont."

Robb raises an eyebrow. "You know Jorah?"

"He's one of my faithful servants," she says softly. "If I tell him to do something, he will do it. I can make sure he sends word to the Mormont's prior to your arrival."

"I thought Jorah was disgraced from his family?" Robb questions.

"He is…but if they are loyal to House Stark, they will answer the letter, regardless of who sends it or not," Daenerys points out.

"That is if they're willing to fight," Robb mutters before looking back at Jon. "The Reeds might be another house that would be willing to fight on our side…a couple more. House Cerwyn has been quiet for most of this war. I don't know if they would be willing to fight."

"Did they go with you?"

"They did…but I don't know if their forces are the same after the Red Wedding."

Jon lets out a deep breath, nodding. "Alright…what about the Manderly's? And the Glover's?"

Robb bites his lip and slowly shakes his head. "I'm not sure. I want to believe they would fight but at the end of the day, I'm quite sure that if they see Daenerys…if any of these houses see Daenerys, they'll lose their shit."

Jon raises his brow. "Why? Because she's a Targaryen? So am I."

"Jon, you don't _get_ it," Robb instantly states, turning to him. "Yes, you're a Targaryen. That much is clear as day to me now, but she is _pure_ Targaryen. Incest and everything. And I mean that in the best way possible because Northerners _hate_ that. You, however, have actual Stark blood in you. They would be much more willing to pledge to you alone rather than have Daenerys there."

"But she is going to be the queen. They have to learn to respect her."

"And they will – but only after they come to respect you," Robb continues. "Once you are king, you can kill whoever you want that goes against your wishes, but this isn't the fight for the throne or the dead. This is the fight for our home, so we can somehow keep some people safe from this threat you told me about."

Sansa's brow raises in surprise. "He told you about the dead already?"

"He told me everything, sister," Robb states, sighing. "Some things I never thought I would believe, but…I have no choice but to." He leans forward and bites his lip. "There have to be other people that will follow us. The Bolton's army is going to be much larger than ours if we don't think of something quickly."

Jon bites his lip and looks at the map. "I have the wildlings…but I don't know how many would be able to fight."

"I have an idea," Sansa brings up from the side. "I…have a _special_ relationship with the current Lord of the Vale."

Both Jon and Robb turn their gazes to her. "Petyr?" Jon asks. "Really? _Littlefinger?_ "

"You know he's a scoundrel," Robb mutters.

"I do, which is why I don't exactly trust him about everything," she states softly. "But, he has this…infatuation with me. I don't know what it is, and yes I see your disgusted face, but hear me out. With this feeling that he has…why don't we use it to our advantage? I can write to him and tell him to send men to me because he is loyal to who I am. I'm not promising anything to him – just that we need his help to take back our home. And when it's done, then we can turn him away. Or do _whatever,_ but the Vale's army is huge, at least compared to what we might have. We could use them, very easily."

Robb slowly nods. "I like the sound of that…when did you suddenly become all...political?"

"When I was forced to stay at the Lannisters, I had no choice but to become it."

"Hmm...not very normal for a lady, but I suppose it will be of use here."

Daenerys raises her brow in surprise. She could see Sansa was holding her tongue. Oh gods, she had a feeling she knew exactly where this was going. Robb was going to think he still held claim over Winterfell. She knew this would be an issue. She also remembered Jon saying they'd talk about it later but if Robb kept making statements like that...that conversation might have to come a bit sooner. 

"But," Robb continues. "As goo as that sounds, that still doesn't change the fact that we'll have issues with Daenerys." At Jon's glare, Robb sighs. "I'm _not_ insulting your future wife, Jon. I can see that she's a fine woman. But at the end of the day, this is _strategy,_ and her coming would throw a wrench in the plans."

"I don't give a fuck about the plans if she can't be there," Jon snaps.

"Then you're stupider than I thought."

" _Okay!_ " Sansa instantly states the moment Jon stepped closer to Robb, her hands pressed between their chests. "This isn't a cock contest. This isn't _anything._ The more you two fight the further we fall apart."

"Then _you_ try and convince him of what we need to do!"

"Listen here, you-"

" _Jon._ "

Daenerys' voice spoke out from where she stood, silently watching the sibling's bicker. His head turns to her and she offers a quiet smile towards him, one that seemed to melt the angry look in his eyes.

"Sansa, Robb…can you leave the two of us? We'll discuss the upcoming war."

Robb looks to Sansa who nods, letting him know it was okay. He shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head lightly before leaving, Sansa behind him. "Let us know when you're done," he says to them before he closes the door, leaving the two of them alone.

The moment the wood hits the wall, Jon shakes his head and scoffs, walking over to the edge of the room they had gone in. There was a large window that was the size of their bodies, opened out into the sea, the breeze flowing in from the setting sun. "Can you believe him?" Jon mutters. "Saying you'll be a threat…fucking pathetic."

"…he's not wrong."

"Dany-"

"Jon, listen to me," she says quietly, coming over to where he stood. She lets her hands rest against him, bracing herself for what she was about to say. She had been thinking about this since they had stepped into this room – hell, since Robb had returned. And she didn't want to think this was how it would happen, but it had to. "Maybe…maybe it's best that you did this with them. _Alone._ "

Instantly his brow furrows. "I...I don't understand."

"Robb is right. A Targaryen in the North has never gone down well in the past. The houses of the North _will_ have anger to show towards me. They will be less willing to commit to someone like you or Robb, of all people if they know you have an affiliation with me. There might be rumors going around but nothing has been confirmed…to them, you're still probably a Stark bastard besides the few tall tales that have traveled along the seas. You, Robb, and Sansa have a _much_ better chance of convincing more houses to come to your side than me being there ever could."

"Dany, I'm not leaving you here," he whispers fiercely.

"I don't _want_ you to," she responds, her hands holding his tightly. "But I _need_ you to. Winterfell is the glue that holds all of the North together and there _must_ be a Stark there. You _must_ regain it if we want to have any chance of the North being loyal to _our_ throne. Me being there isn't going to help. I can't even give you my men because it will take forever for them to sail there."

Jon's mouth opens as if he's looking for words to say but he doesn't speak. Instead, he looks out at the night sky once more before glancing back at her. "I…then what…what are you going to do? Just…wait?"

"Of course not," she chuckles a bit. "Someone needs to stay here and take care of Arya. And make sure that woman doesn't get into trouble."

"Then I will! Robb can-" At her look, he sighs and runs his hands through his hair. "Dany, I…"

"I know this is painful to hear but we need to do this…and I'll be fine." She takes a step back, looking outside at the sea. "I'll remain here until Arya awakes with Aemon, as well as Ser Barristan. You, Robb, Sansa, Davos and Brienne can fly back to the Wall and gather as many men as you can get. The squires can go as well…one Arya awakens, we will travel back to Meereen and make sure that everything is in line before we find a way to sail to Dragonstone…and then we can meet there. I'll of course make sure the baby dragons are fed…I'll even take care of Ghost in the meantime, feed him regular food instead of humans."

She couldn't look at him. But, it didn't seem that he let her wait long because he turns her back towards her. "Daenerys, I don't want to leave you."

"You're not leaving me," she whispers softly. "It's more of a…see you soon. For the sake of the realm."

"I…I can't do this without you." His voice was pained. She could see tears in his eyes threatening to fall. "The whole reason why I'm here, why I'm even _alive_ is…is because of you. I can't leave you here…I need you by my side."

She smiles up at him, almost a grimace before her hand comes up and strokes his cheek. "And I need _you._ But this is one fight that I can't help you with. Robb is right. You need the men on your side. And I would only turn them away."

"Then fuck the armies!" Jon hisses. "I'll burn down all of his men with Rhaegal!"

"Ramsey might be expecting a dragon if he hears about the rumors…he might be planning something. You can't just do that," she urges him. "Please, Jon… _listen_ to me. You _have_ to do this. We can't just burn everyone that we hate...we're trying to build a better version of our family, not return back to the old. The future of Winterfell is at stake…and you can change it right now with your choices. It's what we _have_ to do."

He was silent. She could see a tear had come out and trickled down his cheeks, which made her own come. She wipes it away before he pulls her in close, his arms wrapping around her middle. She lets her face rest against his chest, feeling his heartbeat under his clothes.

"I'm not going to be able to hold you for…I don't know how long," he mumbles.

"It won't be long," she whispers. "And in the meantime, we can write to each other."

"It's not the same as the real thing," he murmurs.

"I know," she sighs, before pulling back. "But it's what we have to do…I hate to think about it but it's true." Her arms were still wrapped around his neck when she does so. "I'm going to miss you…terribly."

Jon looks down at her before he presses his lips against hers, a soft kiss that held many promises, before he rests his forehead on her own, letting out the longest sigh she thought she had ever heard. "I won't be able to kiss you, love you…fuck you," he mutters, to which she chuckles a bit.

"Well…you can make up for that tonight," she suggests softly, to which he raises his brow at her. "We can have our own room before…before we go our separate ways."

She could see him swallow the moment she said that but doesn't say anything else. With a solid nod, he kisses her again before pulling away, looking at the door. "Then…then let's tell them." He looks to her with a raised brow. "Are you sure?" And at her nod, he goes to the door, opening it back up.

* * *

When the news had come from Jon and Daenerys, there had been a mix of reactions. Robb had been grateful that they made the choice, while Sansa was surprised but not totally shocked, as it seemed like something Daenerys would do. Ser Barristan had agreed that it was the right choice, along with many of the others.

Olly and Podrick had both agreed to come so they could help – not without some pushback from Jon, but no one could stop the two from helping their mentors – and the plans were set for them to leave bright in the morning before the sun even rose so no one would see the dragons.

That night, Jon held Daenerys the tightest she thought she had ever been held. He slept with her four times, the first two being rough, the way she had loved it for so long, while the last had been loving, sweet, slow, trying to savor the experience of laying nude in each other's arms one last time before they had to leave each other. She could have sworn that at one point, she had fallen asleep with tears in her eyes at the very thought of him leaving. She had almost gone back on her word.

And at certain points, she wondered what life could have been like if they had stayed in that cabin, far from the Wall, all alone. Simple, beautiful…a life a part of her would always wish for after finding Jon. But that wasn't the life she was given, and she had to do this. _They_ had to do this.

The morning came too quickly, and with an emotional dressing, the two of them had descended down the inn where the others had been waiting. They had thanked the innkeeper for keeping them so well-hidden with extra coin, before heading off to the outskirts of the city, taking boats and moving as quickly as possible before the sun began to peak along the horizon.

They found Rhaegal. Drogon was most likely flying around in the sky somewhere. And when Robb saw the dragon he was _quite_ terrified to get on, but at the urging of Sansa – well, more like _pushing_ of Sansa – he was forced on. Once he was on as well as Sansa, Davos, Brienne, and the two squires came on as well. Daenerys had said that she had already sent out a raven to Tyrion in Meereen of the current situation.

Ser Barristan was standing near the back, waiting for them to finish. He had said goodbye to Jon and the others until they met again. He had said goodbye to Ghost and their three little dragons for the time-being, hugging his direwolf and children extra tight as he did so. Soon, it was the two of them standing there, arms around each other securely. She didn't want to let go of him. She never did. His embrace made her feel as warm as fire did, secure and safe. The moment she left his arms, it would be it.

But she knew, that was what needed to be done.

She pulls her head back a moment later and he kisses her, his lips igniting a fire deep within herself, passionately. Certainly not something to normally share with the company of others but fuck it, they were going to be ruling. And it didn't matter. This was the last kiss she'd share with him for Gods knew how long.

When he pulls away, his forehead rests against hers again. "You listen to me," he murmurs. "When all of this is done. When _everything_ is done, I am going to return to Dragonstone and we are getting married." She feels tears threaten to come out again. "I don't care about some festival or anything now. I want you to be my wife. And that's that…after this, I never want to be apart again. Promise me that. Promise we will marry."

Daenerys smiles softly and nods. "I promise you."

Jon sniffles and wipes at his eyes, glancing away while swallowing. He was doing his best to hold back his own tears. "The dragons…I know you'll do well with them, as well as Ghost. When Arya awakens…because I know she will, she _has_ to…tell her that we're all waiting for her. And that we can't wait to see her again."

"I will."

"And…and for the love of the gods, please stay safe. And watch over that…evil woman," he mutters. "Make sure that no more of those Faceless Men show up. And-"

"Jon," she whispers. "I'm going to be fine. _We're_ going to be fine. Trust me."

He looks at her softly before nodding. "Alright…just…fuck, this is horrible." He shakes his head and she sees a tear fall to the grass. Gods damn it, she had been doing so good. Her own tears came. "Write to me…every week. Tell me what's going on. Please…I need to know."

"I will, I promise." She brings her hand up to his cheek and strokes it softly, memorizing every line of his face, every feature along his skin, as she was sure he was doing the same. "Now go and save Winterfell, my dragon."

He nods before leaning in, kissing her slower, longer, this one that felt like it would last for ages but was cut off too short. "I love you," he whispers. "So much."

"I love you too," she says right back, her hands squeezing his. "Even more." Before he could pull back, she holds him tightly. "Remember, Jon...don't let them walk over you. You're a dragon. You don't answer to anyone...you're _my_ dragon." 

"I swear to you, no one will walk on me," he whispers before squeezing her hands. 

He holds them close to his chest and brings them to his lips, kissing once before slowly letting them drop from his hands. The coldness returns to her almost instantly when he steps back, and her arms wrap around her body as she watches him climb to the front of Rhaegal, the dragon letting out a soft growl as he did so.

Once he was on, his eyes lock with Daenerys once more and she smiles gently at him, one that tried to reassure him that this was the right option. They needed to make sure that both areas were secure before embarking on what would surely be the biggest war of them all. And even if she couldn't be with her future husband for some time, she would make sure that when they did reunite, it would be perfect.

"Ser Barristan," Jon state gently, turning to where the old knight stood. "Make sure that the queen is escorted home safely, along with Arya…precious supplies there."

"Trust in me that I will, your grace," Barristan says simply. "You don't need to worry about them."

Jon nods before looking at Dany again. For the first time that night, he gives almost a pained smile before looking to Rhaegal. He glances back at his brother and the others on the back. "Are you ready?"

"Fucking hell, do we have to?!" Robb yells.

"Of course we are!" Sansa exclaims back.

Jon rolls his eyes and then she hears him say "Sōvegon," before Rhaegal takes off into the sky. She could also hear Robb's yells of fear as they did, which made her laugh. And as soon as his wings were flapping, Jon took one last glance at Daenerys, his eyes saying everything. 'I will return. We will be together. Don't worry. I will do this.'

And with that, he turns around and they take off. She watches until they were far into the clouds until they were out of sight. She feels a hand rest on her shoulder, which surprises her from her thoughts, and she turns to see Barristan, offering her a comforting smile.

"We should head back to the inn, your grace. Make sure everything is running as planned," he suggests.

She lets out a soft sigh before nodding. "I agree…let us go."

* * *

But, when Daenerys laid her head down to rest later in the day – and Jon did not too long after along a break in their flight path - both fell asleep with tears along their cheeks, wishing for the person that they wanted the most in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp...that was sad lol
> 
> Before any of you say anything, I promise they aren't going to be apart for long haha my main reason behind that was yeah, I do feel the lords of the North would be very much against a Targaryen (at first), so they have to make the right decisions so they can save Rickon in time in their minds. Plus, there's many things that need to happen on both side of the world so I thought "might as well split them up for a bit" but I promise it wont be long until they are reunited again - and many things happen in that space between their reunion so just you wait. Hoo, next chapter is going to be a *hoot*
> 
> Please let me know what you think in the comments. I always love hearing what you have to say and I'd love to hear what you guys thought about this. It makes my day and I love responding to every single one of you and hearing your ideas and criticisms and praise - it just makes my whole week and I adore every reader and commenter. I never thought this story would get this popular but you all have made it so and I'm so thankful for you all - so thank you for being amazingly awesome with your comments! You're all so freaking fantastic! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a great day and have a great New Year's as well!
> 
> Next up: We see Daenerys' part of the split. A girl wakes up and is jealous. A journey to Meereen happens. An alliance is made. And news is told to Daenerys that will change everything.


	24. An Alliance of Iron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys returns back to Meereen with guests, a new alliance is born, and she finds out news that changes the rest of her future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all SO much for the amazing response to the last chapter! I'm sorry this one took a little longer to get out but I've been working pretty hard lately and wanted to make sure I made this chapter good. There are *several* events that happen in this chapter, so please read closely because this is one of those where it may *seem* like filler but it's actually quite essential. I promise Jon and Dany will not be separated long haha I hope you enjoy :)

_Daenerys_

Lonely.

Even with Ser Barristan there. Even with Aemon there. Even with the little dragons and Ghost, resting against her…Daenerys had never felt so alone. She had expected this. That the moment Jon had flown back to the North that it would sink in. She would be strong at first, and over time it would build-up to the point where she started to question herself.

She had never felt more…complete than she had when she met him. Yes, for years she had done everything herself, with the help of loyal followers by her side. She freed the slave cities. She saved people who were trapped. She had built an army from nothing…but it always felt like something had been missing. She would have been happy taking the throne alone but every time she thought about it, she had wondered what it would be like to have someone by her side.

For years she had thought it would be Viserys, and while it would be sticking to Targaryen tradition, she would have hated to marry her brother. For a while, she thought it might have been that she missed Drogo and the son she never had, but that didn't feel completely right either. Then, she wondered if Daario could have come, but that wasn't plausible.

And then, she had met Jon. And everything had seemed to fall into place. And now, with him gone…it felt like she was incomplete once more.

But she couldn't let that get to her. While she was here, with one of her last family members and her loyal protector, she couldn't let her feelings get ahead of her. So, she had faced those issues and put it to work – mainly with Ser Barristan.

Aemon had done the bulk of watching over Arya during the day, while she and Barristan had collectively done duties that needed to be completed before they left back for Meereen. The first was securing the Iron Bank on their side.

Whoever held the Iron Bank in Westeros was considered the most powerful family. For years, it was dedicated to the crown. She had known that the works of the economy had never been her strong suit, so she usually had people behind her to help. However, she did know that she needed them for one specific thing, and that was the main reason as to why they had shown up.

So, she and Ser Barristan together had arranged a meeting with Tycho Nestoris, and two of his colleagues. It had been strange, at first, walking through the halls, thinking how much just the power of a coin could hold for people, but after a while, it had slipped her mind when they had come out. She had done most of the talking, with Barristan acting as a backup in case she needed more support.

At first, it was a struggle. They had pointed out that many things had happened to her conquest. That Meereen had fallen at one point. That she hadn't kept control of her dragons. They had also said that the "previous" investment they had made in someone conquering the throne had been thrown away – which she assumed was Stannis – so why should they put out more money?

But she had gone on to say that Meereen was secure now, the dragons were under her control, and there was no way she could lose the battle. They had asked how she would repay her debts to the bank if she did take the throne. She had answered what she needed to say, and they had approved.

She hadn't shown weakness or even an inkling of doubt in herself. She knew that coming here was a risk. The Braavosi were free people. They were the ones who broke free from slavery back in Valyria centuries ago. They would have a grudge against her just because of her blood. But, she had done so much to go against that name that she _had_ to get some support now.

And now, she did. From the best bank in the world.

Once she had secured their loan, something that would help greatly in the wars to come, she had talked with Ser Barristan about their next steps, and he had agreed whole-heartedly. Together, when the sun rose the next day, they went to a place that Daenerys hadn't been to in years. Since she was a little girl.

The Golden Company.

* * *

The Golden Company is a company of sellswords that was actually founded by a bastard of her family, Aegor Rivers. More commonly known as Bittersteel. They are some of the best fighters in the world, and most certainly the best within the Free Cities. And they are known to never break a contract. _And_ they had _20,000_ men.

With those kinds of numbers, added onto her Unsullied, there was no way that they couldn't be beaten. They had to win. However, she knew that convincing them…would be a hassle. The Golden Company weren't too fond of Targaryen's.

The last time she had seen them, she had been a young girl. They had eaten her brother's food and heard their pleas before laughing at them, thinking they were stupid to be doing so. Now, with her brother long dead, and her track record _quite_ good, she was hoping that this meeting would go over better.

Their current commander, Harry Strickland, was a hard to come by man. Ser Barristan had tried for three hours to get some form of contact and when he did, convincing the commander to see her had been a difficult task to do. However, after an endless amount of pestering, he had finally given in. When she walked to him, there weren't any dirty looks or laughter as she had imagined. Some of them even looked at her in awe.

Good. They should.

When she had walked to where Harry was waiting, he had a goblet of wine ready for her and was sitting at a table in a large golden tent, filled with what seemed to be armor and battle gear. "Ah, the famous dragon queen. Come. Sit."

She nods to Ser Barristan, letting him know that she could handle this alone. He nods and steps out of the tent, staying near it just in case something went wrong. She walks over and sits against the chair, taking off her sheath as she did so. Harry raises an eyebrow at her as she does so.

"So you know how to sway a weapon now? I thought your weapons were dragons and your looks."

She fights the urge to roll her eyes. "I was taught how. Would you like to see it?" She raises the sword out of the sheath and his eyes widen in surprise at seeing Dark Sister.

"How do you have that?"

"Magic," she mutters before putting it back in her sheath. "But I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to talk about plans for the future. My plans. Ones that I wish for you to be a part of."

The man chuckles and takes a sip of his wine. "If I recall correctly, the last time you were here was a long time ago. Not with me as Commander but visiting someone else."

"It was, but many things have changed this time. I have an army. People who are loyal to me. Powerful allies…and someone who's just as powerful ruling by my side."

Harry raises an eyebrow. "Someone ruling by your side? Don't tell me it's that knight out there." To which she shakes his head. "Alright, then who is it? Because what I see here is just a young woman with a sword."

"His name is Jaehaerys Targaryen. He is my betrothed," she answers.

He looks at her in surprise. "Another Targaryen? Are you sure he isn't just another pretender?"

She had heard rumors of some people using the Targaryen name like that, but nothing had ever reached her ears or her throne of that nonsense. As long as they didn't interfere with her quest, she couldn't care less. "He isn't. He is unburnt, just as I am. He can control a dragon. He wields Blackfyre now – please, don't ask again where it came from. That's a family secret." His mouth shuts after that. "He was raised under the lie of a name called Jon, protected by the Starks. He only found out not too long ago…I was there with him when he did. But he embraced it, considering he was given nothing for so long. And now, he plans to rule by my side as king."

"And where is he right now if not with his queen?"

"Back in the North. Winterfell is being held down by the Bolton's and they have captured one of his cousins. He's uniting with them and hopefully some of the Northern houses to fight back and gain their home again once more."

Harry chuckles a bit. "You two have dragons then. Why doesn't he just burn it down?"

"We don't want to be that version of Targaryen anymore."

"Ah, really? That's not the rumors I've heard from Meereen when ships were burned to a crisp."

"What I did in Meereen was a completely different situation."

"Is it really? There were innocent people probably on those ships as well, I'm sure."

"No one is innocent if they willingly sailed to Meereen with the hopes of killing me and bringing back slavery into the city," she says coldly. "With Winterfell, there are people there who are being held hostage by the Bolton's, because if they dared step out of line they would be killed. Jon can't just go in and kill everyone with a dragon…he knows that."

Harry hmms and glances at his wine once more. "Well…I don't see how you're going to be able to pay for our services if we do take you up. As far as I recall, you do not have that much money."

"I have the aid of the city of Meereen," she answers. "As well as a loan from the Iron Bank to pay you."

"You've got the Iron Bank back on your side?"

"All they want is their debts paid."

"And can you do that?"

"Once I have the throne, I'll have everything paid. No one will stop me."

Harry smiles a bit and glances back at her. "You do seem to have more spunk than your brother did, that is for sure…however, how do I know that you're worth the shot? We've been collected and called by many houses in Westeros. By the Lannisters, the Tyrells, the Baratheons. Even a Dornish woman has called upon our name to kill the Lannisters, but we haven't done anything yet."

Her brow furrows. "Who exactly in Dorne?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" She shakes her head lightly. "Well, the Dornish lost Oberyn Martell not too long ago, that you must know." To which she nods. "There has been animosity between the Lannisters and Dornish for some time but it came to a head this last week. Not too long ago, a Sand poisoned Myrcella Baratheon. She died in Jamie Lannisters arms. After that, they sent Lannister men to kill the Sands as well as the sand snakes, before Doran, Quentyn, and Trystane were all killed as well. It was a massacre."

"Seven hells," she whispers. "I've been…busy the last week, honestly. I haven't kept up to date with what's happened. Who contacted you then?"

"Arianne Martell. Beautiful girl, I hear. Even more clever. She wasn't home in Sunspear when this happened. But…she right now has the best bet of us leaving. Dornish know how to fight. What do you have to offer to us that she does not?"

"Simple," she responds quickly. "I can give you a life that is not here."

Harry laughs. "And what makes you think-"

"Do you think of me as daft?" she asks him. He doesn't respond. "I have plenty of men who speak to me. Ser Barristan hears everything from every soldier in the world, some who have been exiled from this company and have served under you. I know who you _truly_ are. This – all of this-" She gestures around them, "is one big act."

She stands this time, facing him head-on. He was quite an ugly man, with a big round head and grey eyes, along with grey hair that seemed to swoop over his aged head. Usually, older men knew far more than Daenerys, and she could respect their wisdom, but looking into his eyes, she couldn't feel any sort of respect bubbling anywhere within her.

"I know that you were raised in exile. That you were born here with nothing. As was your father, as well as your grandfather. Your family was exiled here after the First Blackfyre Rebellion. That's probably why you would have such a distaste for Targaryen's considering my family snubbed that out centuries ago. However, I also know that you don't like to lead. You hate marching. You hate the blisters that appear on your feet. You hate that you're forced to stay here because of someone's past decisions. As someone who has dealt with her whole life making up for her father's decisive actions, I can understand that."

He doesn't say anything, but it seemed that her words were getting through to him.

"But, if you decide to march to Westeros with me, to join us in Dragonstone, I will make sure that not only will you have lands and your name restored to your house after we win, but you won't ever have the lead this company again, and someone else, who is much more willing to do so, will take it. You will be a lord once more. You will have saved your family's name."

The man was quiet, looking down at her. She could see the wheels within his head turning. "How do I know you'll keep that?"

"I don't ever break my promises. You can ask anyone I've ever aligned with," she responds. "Think about it. You'll have not only my army of Unsullied behind you as well but my dragons. There's no way you can lose."

He looks at her quietly for a moment before his brow furrows. "I've heard rumors of something in the North from sailors. Stories of creatures with blue eyes…is this something we would have to face?"

Daenerys bites her lip subtly. She was praying that he wouldn't have mentioned that but it seems her prayers had gone unanswered. So, she quickly covers that up. "It is something that my future husband and I have looked into, but it won't be addressed until we are sure that the throne is ours. In the meantime, we will be moving every single person that we can south so that they don't have to deal with what is to come. And even so, after we win the throne, I will make sure your company is led by someone who will come North to fight, and not yourself."

He slowly nods before letting out a deep sigh. "And what about the other houses that have called for our name?"

"I plan to align with the Tyrells and Martell's at some point down the line," she admits honestly. "But my main focus is gaining the army first. Once I have that, I will have them by my side. The Lannister's will die by my hand or Jaehaerys', and the Baratheons are already dead – as far as I know. You have no choice but to go with me, the _best_ one."

She holds out her hand.

"Do we have a deal?"

Harry looks at her before looking back to her hand. For a moment, she still thought he would refuse, thinking that her words weren't enough. Thinking that even if this man was a coward, a man who couldn't lead, according to some of his followers, he would still be prone to say no to a Targaryen.

But after those seconds of silence, he grabs her hand and shakes it once, twice, and she feels herself internally smile.

* * *

' _To my dragon,_

_I hope this letter finds you. I'm assuming that you have ridden to Castle Black, as there aren't many good places to ride to in the North without Ramsey intercepting a letter. Hopefully, this raven will fly far enough from Winterfell before anyone can see._

_I have news for you. Instead of wallowing in my self-pity (which mind you, there was plenty for a while), I made moves for our journey to Westeros. I recently had a meeting with the Iron Bank and secured a loan to hire the Golden Company. Do you know how many men are in that? 10,000. Add that onto our 13,000 Unsullied and we have ourselves a very formative army. I've been thinking of letting the sellswords that Daario leads stay in Meereen. It would be better if they could keep the city running while we are gone. I trust his judgment – as long as he doesn't harm you. Not like he really could, anyway._

_I believe the Lannister's have about 10,000 men in their army, but I have a feeling they are starting to gain more as we speak. I don't know how many we are going to need for this battle but I pray that the alliances we are working on will work out as planned._

_The Tyrells and the Dornish are our next goals. Ser Barristan recently told me that Margaery Tyrell is locked up, the current queen. I don't know how I would feel about having her on my side, but I'm quite sure that she hates the Lannister's as much as I do. As well as the Dornish. Apparently, a woman named Arianne Martell tried to hire the Golden Company to kill the Lannister's, but I got to the commander in person first. I'm sure that now that they are on my side, I might be able to convince the Martell's to come to us as well._

_I miss you terribly. While I am trying to occupy my time here, it's been day by day. Arya has been asleep for about a week now with no sign of her waking up, but I'll let you know as soon as she does and is talking again. I hope that your mission is going well and that Sansa and the others are all okay. Even Robb, with the way he is._

_Write to me as soon as you can. I hope that everything is going as planned and that the North will be in our hands soon. I love you with my entire heart and miss you more every day._

_Also, remember to feed Rhaegal. He'll get antsy if he doesn't get his meat._

_Your love,_

_Daenerys.'_

* * *

The next three days after her conversation with Harry went by smoothly. Daenerys and Ser Barristan constantly planned on their route back home on Drogon, and she had had plenty of conversations with Aemon about life, death, and everything in-between. It was fascinating how he had so many stories. She wished she could hear them all. Maybe she would.

But, what made life interesting was when the eyes of a certain girl finally opened, near the middle of her second week in Braavos.

She hadn't realized it at first, but the moment a cough of pain escaped the air, Daenerys had turned around instantly to face the bed. Of course, the moment that Aemon stepped out with Ser Barristan to collect more fluids for them should she awaken.

Ghost seemed to sense that she was awake as well because he stood up from where he had sat in the corner. Daenerys holds out a hand to steady him before he lost control, scaring off the girl. Their dragons were sound asleep in the corner. But if they were to awaken, it would be a mess of a reveal.

Her brown eyes slowly blinked as she looked around, while Daenerys rested a hand against her back when she tried to sit up. "Easy…you've been through a lot."

Her eyes turn to her and instantly she tries to back away, fear appearing within them. Daenerys takes her hand.

"You have nothing to fear. I promise you," she swears to her. "We've been looking after you since my men found you in the river."

"I…who…who are you?"

Daenerys smiles a bit, lowering the girl's hand. "My name is Daenerys."

"Da…as in the _Targaryen?"_

"The very same, yes."

She blinks once, twice, thrice, before shaking her head. "I…I have to be dreaming. I must be dead." She suddenly begins to cough, and Daenerys instantly grabs a glass of water along the edge of the nightstand, helping her drink. She takes it greedily, practically downing the liquid.

"I'm afraid you haven't been blessed with that yet," she explains softly, as Arya lowers the glass, before looking at Daenerys almost hesitantly. "I understand your confusion. Why would the dragon queen be taking care of you in some dodgy inn in Braavos? Well…it's a long story. Are you…able to hear it?"

Arya looks to her and then glances at the bed. "…if the stab marks didn't kill me I'm quite positive nothing will now." She looks at her. "I can listen."

So she tells her everything. From the moment she had arrived at the Wall and became close to Jon. When he had been killed and brought back with their little dragons. How he was a Targaryen and her betrothed. How they took back Meereen together with her men and then traveled to Braavos to meet with the others before they found her body.

And when Jon and she had gone to the House of Black and White and killed the master – at least as far as they knew – and brought back the woman, before telling her the plan they wished to do. And of course when they had left, to return North to take back their home.

And after the word vomit that she had endured, Arya was quiet. Very quiet. Her words being processed within the young woman's mind. And then, after a moment she looks up at Daenerys with a raised brow, almost one that was filled with sadness. "So…so Jon isn't my brother?"

Daenerys feels her heart split. She reaches out and holds the young girl's hand. "He may not be your brother by blood but he is in spirit. He loves you and prayed that you would awaken while he was here…he's going to do everything in his power to be able to see you again."

Arya nods softly, swallowing. She glances at the bed and then over at Ghost, who was politely waiting to come over. Daenerys snaps her fingers and the loyal direwolf comes to her side, sitting at the bed. In the distance, she could hear three tiny little screeches as the dragons awoke. Arya's eyes widen as they emerge from their captivity and fly around the room, now becoming quite large. Soon they would need to stay outside.

They land near the bed, staying close to Daenerys.

"All of this….is true," she whispers, shaking her head in shock. "Everything. It's…it's all true." She looks over at her again. "He's really a Targaryen…and so are you. Dragons are real. That…I don't even know how to react."

Daenerys chuckles a bit and nods. "I can understand…maybe I shouldn't have unloaded everything on you so quickly but there's no better time than the present."

"Do…does that mean that both _Sansa_ and _Robb_ were able to ride a dragon before me?"

Daenerys holds her laugh back. "Yes, they did."

"I can't fucking believe that," she mutters, shaking her head.

"Well, it's not like we could have done anything about that," Daenerys snickers.

Arya smiles a bit and glances at her bed. She fidgets with her fingers. "My family…it's alive." She looks over at her and smiles a little wider. "I thought for years that Robb was dead but he's…and she's…even Jon…and they're going to save Rickon?"

She could see the thousands of questions that lied behind her mind. It was all Daenerys could do to not get emotional. She felt bad for the girl. With every single little bit of action that had happened in her life, and now becoming completely overwhelmed with the very idea of her family being alive.

"They are. They're going to go save your home," she responds gently.

"I…I should be there." She tries to stand but Daenerys urges her to sit when the girl cringes, clasping at her sides.

"Arya, if you leave now, your wounds will reopen. They're still very tender, even after all the resting you've done," she says softly to her, seeing the look of disappointment in her eyes. "You don't need to worry about your family…they're going to do everything in their power to get back to you as soon as possible."

Arya sniffles and glances at the ground. "I feel so useless."

Daenerys looks at her softly before gently tilting her head up. "May I show you something?" After a moment, she quietly nods. Daenerys takes a step back and then gently lifts up the tunic she had on her body, showing her the now healed wound from Hardhome, but the scar that was left. "This is one of the worst injuries I have ever had. It was when your brother and I were at Hardhome. The White Walkers did this to me. For a whole entire week, I could not move or even wake up. I felt exactly as you did – useless. But over time I learned to value that little bit of space I had to heal. Sometimes, you can't be strong. You just need to sit back and let yourself heal from the past because if you don't, you'll only get worse – both mentally and physically."

"Well, you had my brother."

"And you will have me," she says. "As well as Maester Aemon whenever he returns and Ser Barristan. You don't need to be concerned about the people here any longer."

Arya looks at her and then sighs. "I can't believe you guys did that…just went straight up there and killed them. And…and the woman, she's…?"

Her question trails off, but Daenerys nods, knowing what she is referring to. "She is in a room locked away. The only reason why we have her here is that we were going to force her teach our soldiers how to use the same technique that they did on their faces. We think it would be useful for spies if they were to send people in."

Arya bites her lip and glances at the sheets. "I…I can teach them." She looks back at her. "I was taught how to do so. You don't need her. I want to make sure that she dies."

Daenerys' brow raises in surprise. "I wanted to ask you that…why would you join them in the first place? He said that you wanted to kill the ones on your list? What does that mean?"

The young woman was silent for a moment, glancing out the window that was in the room. But, soon after, she did speak. "My list was who I was going to kill in revenge for my family," she explains quietly, before turning back to Daenerys. "There was Joffrey, Cersei, Walder Frey, Meryn Trant, Tywin Lannister, The Red Woman, Beric Dondarion, Thoros of Myr, Ilyn Paine, and the Mountain…Tywin and Joffery are already dead. I killed Meryn Trant when he was here…it's what got me in this situation in the first place. Everyone else…I know is either alive or missing. I haven't heard of anything of Ilyn Payne."

Daenerys was surprised to hear how many names were on her list, but at the end of the day, it wasn't _too_ shocking. All of those names had obviously done something to hurt her family. The Lannister's she already knew why, as well as the Frey's, but the Red Woman? "What did she ever do to you?" she asks her quietly. "The Red Woman? She's the one who brought back Jon."

Arya snorts. "Do you really think she's the reason he's brought back?" she asks her quietly. "Maybe she helped along the process but I think he came back on his own. Whatever gods they have…I don't trust her for a second. She stole away someone I cared about…aligned with Stannis, who's men killed some of my friends…I can't support someone like that. Please tell me she isn't here."

"No…no she is not," she says quietly before letting her hands fall to her lap. "I'm pretty sure the moment we left Castle Black she sort of just…disappeared. Vanished, really. We have no idea where she has gone." That seemed to bring her mood down a bit, but Daenerys reaches over and takes her head. "But, in terms of some of the other names on your list, I can guarantee you that you will have plenty of time to end them…specifically Cersei and the rest of the Lannister's…Walder Frey we'll see what we can do about."

Arya's brow furrows at her. "This doesn't…scare you?" At Daenerys' raised eyebrow she gestures to herself. "That I want to kill people?"

Daenerys smiles a bit and shakes her head. "No, because I was like you when I was younger. I wanted revenge for the people who had wronged my family. I still do. It's a big reason as to why I'm going to Westeros – to reclaim what was taken from my family so long ago…I didn't ask to be the queen but though situation and horrible choices from my brother, I am here now. And honestly doing a much better job than he ever could have done. And I've had to kill people in the past to get to where I am. It's a fact of life…I'm not surprised that you want to kill those who have wronged you. I just didn't know you could fight."

Arya sighs. "I can but…the sword Jon gave me years ago, I hid it away in Braavos."

"Do you remember where it is? I can have Ser Barristan find it." The young woman nods. "Then we can make sure we get that back to you. We're going to need as many fighters as possible. As for the woman downstairs…if you can teach my men your methods of face-stealing, then I'll make sure you can have the last stand before killing her. Jon and I just didn't know what to do with her at first."

Arya smiles a bit before nodding. "It's…a bit complicated and, uh…not so easily done."

"However long it may take, it's something that needs to be taught," Daenerys states easily. "We can wait."

Arya responds with her own nod before leaning back in the bed. "I can do that," she says easily before her eyes turn to the dragon that was resting on the ground, and then the direwolf. She reaches out and Ghost places his head under her hand, which allows her to scratch his ears. "Gods…I missed direwolves so much. I let mine go years ago because I didn't want Joffrey to kill her…I can't believe the runt survived." She looks back at Daenerys. "I'm fully supporting the fact that because we're alive right now, it's because of this wolf. I swear to all the gods."

Daenerys chuckles a bit. "It just might be, yes. Or maybe brute strength. Who knows?" She moves and takes a seat on the bed, watching as Meraxes climbs onto the edge. It screeches softly and she turns to Arya, who was staring at the dragon in wonder. "Do you want to pet her?"

"I…are you sure it won't bite my finger off?"

"No, but everything is worth a shot," she says simply.

Arya snorts and stares at the dragon, but, like the fearless girl Daenerys could already see in her, she reaches out. Not too much, but just enough for the young dragon to quietly pat its way over to her sniffing at her hand. Daenerys watches quietly as the dragon slowly let her hands go under its chin, gently scratching at his scales.

She stares in wonder. "I'm petting a dragon. Good gods."

Daenerys chuckles a bit and nods. "Indeed you are." Arya smiles brightly as she continues to do so, speaking softly to the creature, and for the first time this week, Daenerys truly felt hope looking at the young Stark girl.

* * *

They stay at the inn for the rest of the week while she healed. Ser Baristan and Aemon had both been shocked when she had awoken but hadn't said anything else, happy to see that she was indeed alive and was ready to get back to walking as soon as possible. Daenerys had tried to stay by her side for most of it, trying to get her strength back so they could fly to Meereen.

Soon, Ser Barristan had also found Arya's sword – Needle, she had said it was called. The reunion was met with a large smile that seemed to almost crack her cheeks and a warm embrace to Ser Barristan – of which the latter was slightly uncomfortable but returned the hug either way.

After Arya had healed more and she was able to walk, Daenerys had taken her to the room that held the young woman that had tortured her so, and had let the two of them alone, grabbing something to eat in the meantime. The woman was still injured and tied up, so she was of no threat to Arya. And by the time Daenerys had come back to check on her, the woman was already dead on the ground, her neck slit and her body torn apart.

Daenerys hadn't said a word. She didn't know what the young girl had been through. What she had learned to kill someone so viciously, but at the same time, it wasn't her place to find out. So she let the girl do what she had to do, before having Ser Barristan dispose of the body. Arya had said that when they reached Meereen, she would teach the rest of the men what she knew. And that was enough to satisfy her.

Soon, it was time to fly back to Meereen. She had met with the Golden Company one last time and had ordered them to sail to Dragonstone as soon as possible, as they were aiming to leave not that long after arriving in Meereen. They had agreed for a price, which she had paid, before leaving on her way with her group towards where Drogon was resting.

While Daenerys was quite used to flying at this point, she knew that neither Ser Barristan, nor Maester Aemon, nor Arya knew the first thing about it. So, getting them to climb on and get comfortable was a bit of a hassle. Aemon, being blind, had troubles but held on easily, oogling at what he was doing, saying he had never done this before. Barristan was a bit more nervous but climbed on bravely, the nobleman he was. Arya was practically giddy, something that Daenerys could appreciate.

The issue that was bothering her was Ghost, and Arya, being the brave young woman that she was, actually took on the task of keeping the direwolf safely secured in her arms with Ser Barristan. They would take the flight as slow as possible as to not let him fall. The three little dragons were easily able to fly now, which meant that they wouldn't be as big of an issue. In fact, they were flying through the sky, as easily as a bird now, so much so they can probably even keep up with Drogon.

Within a little bit, they were ready to fly. And with Daenerys at the lead, with as steady of a hold as they could, that had soared into the sky.

Aemon hadn't been able to see but was smiling once the wind had hit him and he heard Drogon roar. They could see some people down below staring up at them as they flew. Barristan, trying to be brave, held on as tight as they could. But Arya – Arya was cheering. Her eyes were wide open and she was staring all around, laughing, holding onto Ghost as tight as possible.

It was all Daenerys couldn't do to laugh with her, but she knew she had to focus on flying Drogon, and that was that.

They took few stops, mainly because she didn't want to sicken the older Aemon on their journeys, and within another week, it wasn't long before they had landed in Meereen. And the moment Arya had hopped off of Drogon, into the great pyramid of Meereen, she had been giggling the whole time.

"This was…absolutely fantastic!" she yells. "Better than any horse I've ever ridden. You've ruined me."

Daenerys chuckles as she sends Drogon off, watching as he flies towards the greater lands of the east to rest. "Jon said the same thing to me not long after the first time he rode," she says softly before turning to where Ser Barristan and Aemon were. "Are you alright, uncle?" she asks as she approaches him.

The older man nods, smiling. "Never better. Because of that, I can die a happy man now."

The littler dragons sit perched along the banister. Daenerys chuckles. "Please don't do that yet. We'd like you alive." She squeezes her uncle's shoulder before looking at Ser Barristan. "Can you please request an audience with my council? I believe that we have much to talk about because of our travels."

"As you wish," he answers, bowing his head before leaving the room, Maester Aemon following close behind as they did so. Ghost, who had taken his own seat on the bed after jumping off happily after the flight, had closed his eyes, sleeping the day away. Arya had stopped to look out at the city, her eyes wide.

"And…all of this is yours?" she asks Daenerys.

The dragon queen nods and comes up next to her, resting a hand on the edge of the banister once more. The dragons settled along the outside, screeching softly. "Indeed it is."

* * *

Another week passes. Arya had been gaining her strength back, and Daenerys had seen her practicing with herself, trying to get in the use of using her sword once more. Something else she had also seen is that she was talking to the guards, speaking with them about the best way to approach her method of face stealing.

While Daenerys didn't know how she did it – at least not yet – she trusted the young girl and knew that with time, her men would most likely learn it in time. A part of her felt that it had to include some sort of sorcery, but what didn't? Her whole entire life at this point had been enamored with sorcery. Nothing could surprise her now.

One day, when she was working on the final touches of the laws they would put in place before sailing to Westeros, Tyrion and Jorah were with her. Daario was off commanding the Second Sons after she had told all of them about her plan to sail to Dragonstone, and what she and Jon had talked about thus far.

A part of her would always feel bad for him, that he had done so much for her heart but it had never worked. At the same time, he had tried to fight Jon, of all people. Daario was a great swordsman but she always knew Jon was better. The sad part was that she didn't feel much emotion letting him lead here. It was more of an inconvenience now that she had the Golden Company.

Alls well that ends well, she supposed.

"Are we sure that Cersei won't see us if we go that way?" Daenerys had asked Tyrion as she looked at the map of Westeros. "I feel like she might."

"Trust me. Cersei doesn't have any ships, really unless she paired with someone who did. I can't think of a single person who might have something like that up their sleeve. You'd be safe from spies – at least for now."

Daenerys doesn't miss how his eyes glance at Jorah, who doesn't say anything. His eyes were focused on the map as well. "What about Jaehaerys?" he asks quietly, turning to look at her. "How is he going to sail down? White Harbor to the Narrow Sea? And then to Dragonstone?"

Daenerys sighs. "That's what I'm assuming once he's won back Winterfell, although I wouldn't be surprised if _he_ flew considering he took Rhaegal." She looks up at him. "But I doubt he would leave all his men behind…or maybe he would since he has another Stark."

"Another Stark," Tyrion mutters. "I can't believe he is alive." At that moment, the door to the room opens and his head snaps to where the younger Stark girl stood. "I can't believe you're alive. Truly a marvel."

"Imp," she greets before coming over to the table, but Tyrion has no reaction. Most likely because he was used to this at this point. "While I know that sailing is fun and all, there's something I have to speak to the queen about."

"My queen, we-"

"Jorah, Tyrion, it can wait," she says to them, her voice soft but commanding – a true paradox, she was. Jon was right in that regard. "This is my future good sister. I must head to what she has to say."

The two of them share a look before begrudgingly letting her speak. Jorah steps out first, and Tyrion turns to her before he leaves. "We have to finalize these plans, your grace. We need to strike first while you have the upper hand. For all we know, she is scheming up a storm to kill you. I _know_ my sister. She will somehow find a way."

"I know, Tyrion," she says softly. "And we will finalize everything. But there are so many hours in a day. We have plenty of time."

Tyrion lets out a soft sigh before nodding. "Alright then. If you are sure." He nods to Arya. "As you were, Stark."

"You as well, imp."

This time Tyrion rolls his eyes. "People need new jokes," he mutters before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Arya chuckles a bit and turns to face her. "I probably have good jokes but they'd be too much for him."

Daenerys smiles and takes a seat at her desk, looking over some of her letters. Jon still hadn't responded to her yet, which had made her heart quicken a bit, thinking of what could have happened. But he was busy doing what he needed to do. She trusted him. "Tell me, what is it that you wish to speak of?"

Arya takes a seat across from her, glancing outside. "I actually wanted to talk about my…family. More specifically, Jon." She looks back at her. "I know you and he are planning on getting married when you return to Dragonstone – at least that's what you told me, right?"

"It is, yes."

"I know he said he didn't want to have a festival or anything but…what if we planned one anyway? A welcome-home jubilation?"

Daenerys raises an eyebrow at her. "I didn't think of you as that type of person, Arya."

"…I'm usually not," she admits quietly. "The last feast I went to, it was before my father went off to King's Landing, and we both know how that ended…ever since then I've stayed away from anything that was even remotely close to royalty…I'm not a lady, and I know I never will be…but he is my brother, despite blood. And by that, you are going to be my good sister. And I believe that even in the shitty circumstances all of us are in, we deserve a night to relax. Before the real war starts." She looks at the ground. "I want to make sure that when we begin it, there will be no regrets."

Daenerys smiles softly at her and lets out a quiet sigh. "I understand what you mean…I haven't had a feast in some time either for the same reasons…we do deserve something. And I'm sure Jon would like a night of peace after what he is going through now with Robb and Sansa."

Arya smiles a bit. "You can't give him up?"

"Oh, he's too perfect to give up," she admits, looking out the balcony as Arrax flies by, followed by Meraxes and Lyanys. "I could never."

"I'm glad," Arya responds. "I never thought he would ever get married…I'm very happy it's you." She leans forward a bit. "Have you…heard from them at all?"

Daenerys sighs once more, before slumping in her chair. "No, I haven't." She looks back at her. "I know what they're doing is important and I don't blame him for not writing but…he's the one who proposed we do so. I'm not a patient woman. I don't know…usually I'm not this stressed." She sighs and glances at the table, her eyes moving towards where Winterfell was at the top of the map. "I worry for your sister and brother as well…what might have happened. The squires. Ser Davos…I can't have one of my hands die before we take the throne."

Arya raises an eyebrow. "One of your hands?"

"Jon and I plan to split the power between two," she explains to the young girl. "Davos has knowledge of many of the Southern houses and islands beyond King's Landing. But we are still looking for someone to take the next…even so, right now that isn't the biggest issue. It's them not speaking…I don't like to admit when I'm worried but I am. I hate feeling this way."

"Welcome to my world," Arya quips. Daenerys throws her a pointed look and she chuckles. "What? I was terrified the first time I was alone without my family. Jon has become that to you…I'm scared to but I'm trying not to show it for sake of the guards taking me seriously…but I trust he is alive. He's Jon. You already told him he died once. I don't think he'll die again."

"Don't give us bad luck," Daenerys warns.

"I know, I know," she snickers before turning her gaze to her hands, crossed together. "I miss him…I wish he was here with us." She instantly turns up. "Not that you haven't been doing fantastic and I haven't had a great time here, I'm so-"

Daenerys chuckles and shakes her head. "You don't need to apologize. I know what you are saying. He is your family as he is mine. We both wish he was here. You haven't seen him in years. You probably wish to battle with him again as you did as a girl."

Arya rolls her eyes. "I bet I could take him out."

"Oh really? You believe you're better than him?"

"A million times more."

Daenerys smiles and stands. "Well, I _am_ his partner…perhaps you could battle me?" she suggests.

"Oh, I mean – isn't that not royal?" she asks, mumbling the last part.

Daenerys snickers at her confused words. "It is when I ask of it. I have Dark Sister. You have Needle. It's not like we don't know how to use them. Besides, I miss training with him. But if you were taught basics because of his training, I have feeling it would be quite the show." She pulls out Dark Sister at that moment, gazing upon the surface of the blade.

Arya stares in wonder too before her eyes move to Daenerys. "You look exactly like her."

"Like who, pray tell?'

"Visenya." Daenerys turns to her. "In all the sketches I've seen, she holds the sword that same way. Did Jon ever tell you that?"

"Multiple times," she answers before lowering the sword down. "He _also_ told me that you had a particular fascination with Targaryen woman. I'm surprised that in all our time spent together these last couple of weeks I haven't been bombarded with questions besides the origin of my dragons."

Arya smiles sheepishly before she rubs the back of her neck. "I do have a lot of questions but I know you've been stressed lately…the last thing I want to do is do the same thing to you that the rest of the world is doing."

Daenerys smiles and stands again, placing her sword back in its sheath. "Yes, the world is stressing me a lot lately, but that doesn't mean I can't make time for the people who matter the most. And you do matter. Your questions are valid." She gestures to the door. "Hells, you have two Targaryen's if you wanted to ask with Maester Aemon. So if you did, please, ask me anything."

Arya smiles a bit and her mouth opens, but just as the tiniest sliver of voice comes out, there's a furious knocking at the door. It awakens the little dragons that were resting on the edge of the balcony, and Ghost growls from the bed. Daenerys speaks quickly in Valyrian to calm the dragons down and pets Ghost, seeing his growling simmer down to a soft grunt.

"Come in," she states.

The door opens, and in walks Jorah, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry to interrupt, my queen. But you have visitors. From the Iron Islands."

"The Iron Islands?" Daenerys questions.

"The Greyjoy's?" Arya adds on.

"Two of them. They want to form an alliance with you," he states quickly. "Come, they're waiting in the throne room."

* * *

"I…didn't think _you_ would be the Stark I would see today."

Daenerys had taken her seat at the throne room, sitting while Tyrion and Ser Barristan stood at her side. Arya was a step down below her, followed by Maester Aemon, who was sitting in his own chair. There was no way she'd have her uncle standing for this whole time.

"I didn't think I'd see the only Greyjoy ever with no cock," Arya quips.

Theon Greyjoy – someone Jon had told her _plenty_ about – had come to Meereen with his sister, Yara, who seemed to be getting enjoyment out of the teasing that was being directed at him. Daenerys, knowing the stories, didn't make many moves to stop it at first.

"Last time we saw each other was at Winterfell, yes? You were making jokes about my height, I seem to recall," Tyrion states. "Everyone who makes a joke about a dwarf's height thinks he's the only person ever to joke about that. 'The height of nobility,' 'a man of your stature,' 'someone to look up to.' You all make the same jokes."

Theon sighs. "It was a long time ago."

"It was. And how have things been going for you since then? Not so well, I can wonder. Can't imagine you would have murdered the Stark boys if things _had_ been going well."

"He didn't murder the Stark boys," Daenerys pipes from her seat. "Sansa has told me this."

Theon's eyes seem to perk up at her when he mentions Sansa. "She's alright? She made it to you?"

"To both Jon and I, yes. She is alive and safe. Currently, she's fighting for her home back from Ramsey with him. Both of them have told me plenty of things about you. My future husband isn't quite pleased with who you are, yet Sansa seems to think the opposite."

Theon looks to the ground for a moment, visibly swallowing before looking at her. "I know I did horrible things…just as bad or worse than what you've heard. I own up to that."

"And he paid for them," Yara insists.

"Doesn't seem like it," Tyrion responds. "He's still alive. It was complicated for you, I'm sure…growing up in Winterfell. Never quite knowing exactly who you were. Then again, we all have complicated lives, don't we? Jon thought he was a bastard for most of his life and now he's going to be king. Strang how life turns that way."

"So it's true?" Theon asks, looking to Daenerys. "I've…well, we've heard the rumors. He's really a Targaryen? Not a Stark?"

"He is." She stands quietly from where she sat. "The rest are Starks as you imagine, Sansa, Arya, even Robb, but Jon is as Targaryen as he can be."

"W-wait, Robb is _alive?!_ "

"Oh, he's really not going to make it through the next time he sees them," Arya mutters.

"He is, but I'd rather not get into that tale," Daenerys states. "That's for him to speak to you if he doesn't kill you on the spot first." Theon's mouth closes once she says that. "As for the reason you are here, you've brought us 100 ships from the Iron Fleet, with men to sail them. In return, I expect you want me to support your claim to the throne of the Iron Islands?"

Theon shakes his head. "Not my claim. Hers."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "And what exactly is wrong with you?"

"I'm not fit to rule."

"We can agree upon that at least," Tyrion mutters.

Daenerys turns to Yara. "Has the Iron Islands ever had a queen before?"

"No more than Westeros," she responds, and Daenerys smiles at her words. She was determined. She could see the same resilience in the woman's eyes as she had when she was younger.

Theon steps forward a bit. "Our Uncle Euron returned home after a very long absence. He murdered our father and took the Salt Throne from Yara. He would have murdered both of us if we had stayed."

Daenerys brow raises once more. "Lord Tyrion tells me your father was a terrible king."

"That's something you and I have in common," Yara responds.

Daenerys sighs a bit. "We do. And both murdered by a usurper as well." She turns to look at Tyrion as well as Ser Barristan. "Will their ships be enough?"

"With the former Master's fleet, possibly. Barely," Tyrion answers.

"There are more than 100 ships in the Iron Fleet," Ser Barristan states. "What happened to the others?"

"There are more than that," Theon agrees. "And Euron is going to be building more. _Is_ building more. He's going to offer them to you."

"Hmm...so why shouldn't I wait for him?" Daenerys asks.

"The Iron Fleet isn't all he's bringing. He also wants to give you-"

"His big fat cock," Yara interjects, causing Daenerys to raise her brow in surprise. "At least what I think he said. Euron's offer is also an offer of marriage, you see. You won't get one without the other. And considering you're already taken, I don't think you'll get his ships easily."

"I see," Daenerys states. "And I imagine that your offer is free of any marriage demands?"

Yara shrugs. "I never demand, but I'm up for anything, really," she answers, and Daenerys could see the smirk on her face. Oh, she was _that_ kind of woman. Not like Daenerys really cared about that about anyone, but it was good to know.

Theon interjects at her statement this time. "He murdered our father," he says. "And would have murdered us. He'll murder you as soon as you have what he wants."

"The Seven Kingdoms," Ser Barristan confirms.

"All of them," Theon answers.

"And _you_ don't want the Seven Kingdoms?" she asks.

Theon shakes his head. "Your ancestors defeated ours and took the Iron Islands. We ask you to give them back."

Daenerys' brow raises once more. "And that's all?"

"We'd like you to help us murder an uncle or two who don't think a woman's fit to rule," Yara responds.

Arya snorts. "Reasonable request."

"What if everyone starts demanding their independence?" Tyrion responds, looking up at her. "Then there will be rebellion the moment you are given the throne."

"She's not demanding, she's asking," Daenerys answers. "The others are free to ask as well. Our father were evil men, all of us here. They left the world worse than they found it. We're not going to do that. Not anymore. We're going to leave the world _better_ than we found it. That's been my solid promise since I began this."

She looks back over at Yara and approaches her.

"You will support my claim as queen of the Seven Kingdoms, as well as Jaehaerys' claim as king. And you will respect the integrity of the Seven Kingdoms. No more reaving, roving, raiding, or raping."

"That's our way of life," Yara argues quietly.

"No more."

Yara looks over at Theon, who nods. After that, she turns back to Daenerys.

"No more," she agrees, albeit a little hesitantly but stronger near the end.

Daenerys nods as Yara holds out her hand, and Daenerys grabs her arm, holding it tightly. "Keep in mind I still need to talk this over with my husband, but considering he is off in the North, I have the lay of the land here. He will agree to the decision once he sees that our fleet has grown." She lets her hand fall once more. "I can't promise how he may treat your brother when he sees him again."

Theon sighs and nods. "I've sort of come to expect that…but everything he'll say I deserve honestly. Since I do have one Stark here, I am horribly sorry for…everything, Arya."

The young woman shrugs her shoulders and stands, placing the knife she had been playing with back in its sheath. "Look, I wasn't there. I was off getting screwed over by the Lannister's for gods know how long. In my book, I can't really judge you. All I know is that when _Robb_ sees you…it's not going to be pretty."

"Yes, I…I'm still confused on that." He looks over at Daenerys. "I know you said it wasn't your story to tell but I…I thought he was killed? They threw his body into the river."

"Some things are more than what they seem," she states softly before turning to look at her council. "Ser Barristan, make sure that they are given a comfortable chamber to rest in. Within the next week, we will be sailing to Westeros again." She looks back at the two of them. "I believe that our time here has come to an end." She takes a step down to look at Yara.

* * *

' _To my dragon,_

_Gods, how long has it been since I've written? I feel so bad. Mainly because many things have happened here and I simply haven't had the time. But considering the status of both our situations…I doubt that's really much of a surprise._

_Let's start out with the good news. Arya has awoken. She's been awake for a couple of weeks now. I let her rest in the inn for some time so she could heal, answering all her questions. She misses you and your family terribly. She can't wait to see you again. We even found Needle for her – says she thinks she can beat you now. I'd like to see that fight._

_She also killed that woman we brought back – apparently she's called a waif, I don't know why. Arya has said that she can teach the guards here the magic, so she decided to take care of her herself…she's quite the little fighter, your sister. You'd be proud. She's seen a lot._

_After a while, we flew back to Meereen. For the last week, we've been finalizing stages here. I'm going to be speaking with Daario soon to make sure that he can run the cities while we are gone. I'm thinking of changing the name from 'Slaver's Bay' to the 'Bay of Dragons.' What do you think? Definitely has more of an edge to it._

_We have also gained a new alliance. The Greyjoy's sailed to Meereen, offering their ships for independence. I know what you must be thinking, especially about Theon, but from what I could see, he was very remorseful of his actions, and his sister stood up for him. Sansa has told me how he helped save her from the Bolton's, and honestly, I trust her word since she knew him in that state of mind. Besides, this was the last bit we needed. Now, we can move our Unsullied to Westeros, the Golden Company shall meet us there…everything seems to be falling into place._

_You have permission to beat Theon down when you see him, though. I won't stop you from doing that. And I don't think he will either. He doesn't…seem like the man you've described. I think Ramsey broke that former person. But that's up to you. I, however, knew that this last bit of a push was needed. I've been putting off sailing to Dragonstone for far too long. This is the moment I've been waiting for…for years. I truly hope you aren't upset about the choice I made._

_A big reason I went with them is that they've reported their uncle Euron is building more ships and wanted to sail them to me…but with a proposal of marriage. And once he got that, he would have killed me. I would have turned it down anyway, but that means one thing – he's looking for power. And if he can't find it in me, he's going to try and find it in Cersei. She will have another alliance. We need to make sure we are ready for when they strike._

_While we're sailing to Dragonstone, I'm going to send out a letter of intent for the Tyrell's and the Martel's. I haven't been kept up to date on their current situation, but I trust that whether they want to align with me or not, they will answer._

_Gods, I miss you. I think about you every day. I never thought when I was younger, or even after Drogo, I would ever imagine missing someone so fervently, yet here we are. You've stolen that from me – and that's a good thing. However, I can't help but wonder where your letters are…I pray they haven't been intercepted. I'm also hoping that you are alright…and that Arya is correct in her statement. I'm only overthinking._

_Please, respond to me as soon as you can. Even just reading your writing makes me feel a bit better. I've been feeling a bit sickish, lately. I probably caught something on the way to Meereen. But your words have always made me feel better._

_I hope you are alright. Please let me know your status as soon as possible...the sooner the North is won the sooner we can be together again._

_I love you._

_-your love, Dany.'_

As she had gotten up to bring that letter over to the raven, her head began to feel strange, and her stomach queasy. She shakes it off for a moment, trying to get out what she needed to say to the raven before it suddenly took off into the sky, leaving Meereen behind and heading towards Castle Black.

But when the raven was out of her sight, her queasiness returned and her faintness did as well. She grips onto one of her tables, trying to breathe slowly, wondering what the _fuck_ was happening, when everything became too much. She trips, knocking over a pitcher of water onto the ground before she races to the privy.

In one big sweep, she heaves up what she had for breakfast that morning, all of it falling into the chamber pot. But it wasn't as simple as one quick vomit. This was _violent._ So much so that it had her body feeling horrible after and weak. Ghost starts to howl and rushes over, nudging at her side and whimpering to get her attention. The small dragons screeched from outside.

She kept going until she knew she couldn't, practically dry heaving by the end of it, but when she tried to stand up, her legs couldn't move. They felt like lead. Her eyes looked around blurrily, trying to call for someone, but her voice didn't seem to escape her. She just saw the door crack open, and a smaller body steps in, before she falls unconscious, her eyes close and her head hitting the edge of the pot.

* * *

When her eyes opened, they were groggy, and practically glued shut from probably the amount of sleep she had received. Looking around the chamber, she could see that somehow, her body had gotten from the privy to her bed, so someone had come and gotten her. No one else was in the room except for her and Ghost, who was sleeping near the end of the bed. Her little dragons screeched softy as soon as they saw her eyes open from the balcony.

As she leaned up, the pain she had experienced was gone, but the queasiness was still slightly there. Ghost lifts his head and nudges her hands, clearly happy to see her awake. She smiles, remembering how he had run to her. "You're a good boy, Ghost...you probably saved me." The direwolf's tongue flops out and she chuckles, scratching his ear.

Before she could call for someone or even get up, the door to the chamber opens. Daenerys turns her gaze to see both Arya help in Maester Aemon. She lets out a soft sigh. "I'm glad someone is here to explain what happened."

Arya instantly turns her head. "You're alive. Thank the gods," she gasps, rushing over to the other side of the bed. "I heard the pitcher crash and then Ghost howling...thought something had gone wrong."

"Well, something did…however, I'm not sure what it was." She spots what seems to be a letter in Arya's hands. "Is that from Jon?" she asks hopefully.

"It…it is," she answers. "But Maester Aemon has something to tell you."

"I do indeed," her uncle says as he slowly walks over to the bed, resting on the edge. "First of all, I'm grateful to hear you speaking. You sound much better than before. You were mumbling in your sleep."

Daenerys chuckles lightly. "I do that sometimes, yes."

"But…Arya is right. There's something you need to know." He looks over at her, reaching out for her hand, which she takes easily into her own. "Daenerys…when was the last time that you and Jon coupled?"

Her eyes widened. "B…before he went off to Westeros again."

"And before then?"

"Here…before we flew to Meereen."

"Ah, yes, that makes much more sense," the man mutters before looking at her. "Daenerys, what you experienced was a heavy-set block of symptoms. You haven't been experiencing anything for weeks now and all of a sudden, everything came at once. That's why it knocked you to your knees so quickly."

"Sy…symptoms to what?"

She sees her blind uncle smile, a grin she had never seen before. "Symptoms of pregnancy, Daenerys. You're with child." His hands gently touch the outskirts of her stomach. "Judging by the shape, I'd say you're nearing a moon."

Daenerys felt her heart suddenly start to beat quickly. She looks at Arya, who had smiled and nodded her head, letting her know that this wasn't a dream. Daenerys reaches down and lets her hands rest along her stomach, feeling the almost invisible curve of it. But he was right. It was there. Barely, but there. There was a small bump that had grown.

And suddenly, _everything_ made sense. Why Meraxes had been staring at her stomach back on the beach in Braavos. Why she had been feeling a bit sickish. Why she had been so emotional about Jon being off in Westeros…it was because she was going to have a _child._

"S…seven h…hells," she stutters, a nervous but tender smile overcoming her lips. "It's true…then? I am?"

"You are. I know you and Jon have been trying for some time now…this is exciting news, surely."

Daenerys smiles even wider. "We have…gods, I can't wait to tell him. I…should I speak over letter?"

Arya glances at Aemon and then gently puts the letter into her shaking hands. "I…would hold off on that. Tell him in person…I think he'll appreciate that more than a letter. But the main reason is that…this letter doesn't seem to have positive implications."

Daenerys' brow furrows, her joyful mood instantly diminishing. "What do you mean?"

"Take a look."

Daenerys turns to look at the letter and quickly opens it, her eyes scanning over the words as fast as they could. But the first lines stood out the most, that one that made her blood run cold.

' _Daenerys,_

_I apologize for not writing, my love. Much has happened here. Robb, Sansa, and I have been trying to deal with the outcome of everything that has happened…and all is not well._

_Most of the wildlings are dead.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhhh Battle of Bastards ain't gonna be like the TV show cuz, just warnin' ya. It can't all be sunshine and rainbows, ya know?
> 
> Again, I'm sorry this took a little longer to get out but I really wanted to make that ending good - joyful yet dreadful in a way, so I hope I did a good job with it lol 
> 
> Also I know there will be some comments that said that almost "too" much happened in this chapter but I'm one of those writers now where I really don't want to cushion the plot with unnecessary plot or fluff. We're getting right into the seriousness of the situation and the events that will push forward the plot, so I really hope that is okay with you all. I didn't want to spend several chapters in Braavos and Meereen like I did with Jon and Dany earlier on because there wasn't much story to be told there. 
> 
> Now, with that out of the way, I do have one question and that is do you want the battle of the bastards to be it's own separate chapter? Or would you like that in the next? Reason being is that it's going to be a lot darker than the previous adaptation on TV (just warning you) but I didn't know if ya'll wanted its own chapter for that. If so I can do that but it's up to you. 
> 
> Please let me know what you though of this or what you think in the comments, as your comments always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for you. I've loved every single last thing you all have had to say and it's been an absolute dream writing for you all, and I love every single last bit of advice, criticism, praise, the whole nine yards, because your comments make me want to become a better writer and make this story the best it can be. So thank you all so much for being you - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! 
> 
> Next up: We see Jon's side of the separation. A tragedy is told. Fights occur. Lines are drawn. And Jon questions the line between good and evil.


	25. A Massacre Near Winterfell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see Jon's side of the separation. Lines are drawn, revelations are revealed, and a plan that should have been fool-proof ends in disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you all so much for your comments and concerns on my author's note. I know I might have worried some of you but I promise I'm alright now. I think I just needed to relax for a bit and let my mind be at ease. I had a bit of a self-care day and I think that helped a lot. If it takes me a little longer to put out chapters I hope you can all understand, but seriously thank you all so much for caring so much. You are all amazing. 
> 
> Secondly, I rewrote this chapter a bit. It's not too different but I feel it definitely fits the story more, so I think you all will like it. Let me know what you think :)

_Jon_

' _Daenerys,_

_I apologize for not writing, my love. Much has happened here. Robb, Sansa, and I have been trying to deal with the outcome of everything that has happened…and all is not well._

_Most of the wildlings are dead._

_I knew I needed to get that out as soon as I wrote this. It was…horrible. We flew back to the Wall as you had originally thought. But when we got there, and we let Rhaegal down a bit further away as to not scare anyone, we saw blood…everywhere. We went through some of the wildlings encampments that Edd had set up while I was gone and… Gods, Dany, the children…the innocent lives just all on the floor of the forest…it was awful._

_Tormund was still alive, blessed be. He and only a couple hundred of the once thousands of wildlings remained in a small secluded home away from the Wall. He said that Ramsey had made his way here, intending to take back Sansa. When he saw that we were not there, he led a massacre on the Night's Watch, as well as one on the wildlings not long after._

_Edd is dead…most of them are gone._

_We had to burn so many bodies. I always knew Ramsey was cruel, but I never assumed he would be like that. That he would let little children die…ones that were barely old enough to learn how to hold a sword. It's awful. Fucking terrible._

_Afterward, we went into panic mode to sort of figure out what to do. We went into this thinking that the wildlings would be our main source of power, but that isn't the case anymore. Sansa has said repeatedly that she has the Vale on her side because of Petyr Baelish, but I really don't know how many they would send over. I don't know how much they would be willing to offer._

_We've contacted Northern houses and had a couple of parleys. Some good and some bad. Mainly because I decided to not hide who I am. Some people might find it dumb, but I believe that if I was to lie about truly being a Stark and then turn on these people and tell them I'm a Targaryen, I would never be able to gain their loyalty again. And that would only make things harder for us._

_The Manderly's and the Glovers are not going to be helping, for different reasons. The Glover's because they hold contempt against House Stark, not me. And the Manderly's because they don't trust a new Targaryen – yet. I'll prove them wrong. They will see. But a bigger issue has been Robb. Many of the houses we have talked to have snapped back and asked where he has been, and he's been trying to answer them as much as possible but it seems that even he is having trouble trying to explain himself. It's costing us allies, even without you here. Many are angry at him for leaving._

_But, I have faith that over time he'll win back their trust…maybe. Gods, I don't even know what faith is anymore._

_Again, I'm sorry this has come so late. I meant to write to you when I got your third letter and everything was just shit…I long for the days that I'll see you again. I miss you here in my bed. I miss holding you. I miss loving you. Every day I'm regretting coming here. I fucking hate the North._

_But it's what we have to do, sadly._

_I'm praying for the days to go quicker until I see you again. We will be moving soon once we talk with the Mormonts and the Reeds, see if they will swear to us. Possibly wait until we hear from the Vale. If not, we're royally fucked. But at least in the meantime, I'll have your letters to look forward to._

_I love you, Dany. Wish me luck. Also, you make sure to feed Ghost…even if he is a big puppy around you._

_-Jon.'_

That was the last letter he had sent to her, and that was a week ago.

Jon had been traveling to Bear Island for some time to meet with whoever ran it now, knowing that they and the Reeds were their last chance. So many houses had denied them, because of his heritage, or Robb's abandonment, or even _Sansa_ being there because the North was full of fucking assholes who refused to see a woman in power…it was pissing him off.

Everything was pissing him off.

Truly. There wasn't a night of sleep where he didn't go to bed angrier than the day before. He was missing his family, his direwolf, the fact that _Arya_ was awake, _fuck._ When he had told Sansa that she had practically cried. And here he was, fighting a fight that he didn't even know if they could win.

Well, they could but he was willing everything in his power to not do it.

The night before they would arrive in Bear Island, they had made camp, not too far out, deciding it was best to lay low for now. Jon had watched Robb for some time now, and he had seen how different he had been acting before they had arrived back at the North and now.

When Rhaegal had landed, despite his brother's screaming tones, he had been confident in what they were planning, that despite the past, they would agree to fight back for their home, as a Stark must always be in Winterfell. Now, with many of the Northern houses not participating with them because of that reason, he had grown distant, cold, almost barely talkative. Jon had tried to get something out of him but it appeared that was impossible.

All he ever did was talk about battle strategy and that was it, and the more houses that declined their call, the more that he spoke, quickly, almost with nerves. Jon wished sometimes he could shut him up about that instead of listening to everything else.

Now, he was setting up his own tent, while Jon sat to the side, staring at the fire. In the distance, he could see both Olly and Podrick practicing with Brienne. He had tried his hardest to convince the boy to stay at Castle Black, but with barely any remaining brothers there and only a few wildlings, it had been pointless. The last he could do is show how serious he was about learning to train.

That was something that he did value in Olly though. His ambition to learn. He knew one day he would make a fine knight.

"Are you alright?" he hears from his right, as Ser Davos goes to take a seat next to him. The man had been the mind of reason the last couple of days, reassuring Jon that somehow he was making the right decisions even though the rest of the world didn't feel like it. Sansa was on his left, drinking water from a canister.

"I'm…fine," was his quiet answer. "Could be better or worse. Just fine. Just…thinking." He looks over at Davos. "What if none of these places agree to help us? What is our plan then? And how will…how will Daenerys and I take over if the North won't even bend?"

"The future right now isn't the big idea," Davos says gently to him. "Right now, the man cause is you trying to get Winterfell back. That's the problem. What happens after will happen after…don't worry yourself about the future."

Jon sighs. "I _have_ to do that, Davos. Or else my mind falls apart." He glances over at where Robb was, heading into a tent to rest for the night. "He's also been on my mind as well."

"He's been on all our minds," Sansa mutters.

Jon chuckles and turns to her. "That is true."

"What has been on your mind, your grace?" Davos asks him, continuing the conversation.

Jon was silent for a moment before glancing between her and where Robb was. "Even now that Robb is back…and some of the lords don't want him, he _still_ has a birthright over you, Sansa. Both him, Rickon and Bran…if he's alive." Sansa glances away at that. "We took you to Meereen to train you…because we didn't think anyone could take the seat of Winterfell."

"I know that," she says softly.

"However…I have been thinking." He glances back at the fire. "Of what will happen _when_ we win Winterfell, because we have to think like that. If not, I'll lose my head." He turns to look at her and then Davos. "Daenerys and I have been discussing plans for the future, and how considering both of us grew up in less than fortunate circumstances around the nobles of our lives, we are in need of guidance. We took on you, Ser Davos because you know much about the Southern kingdoms, as well as your experience with war, but we've been in need of someone for the North." He glances over at Robb. "For a moment, I did think of Robb…but to be honest, I believe that he is more of a…battle strategist than a hand. I don't think he quite understands politics as well as he thinks he does. He was trained to be the warden of Winterfell but never something more than that, and that's where he fell…making decisions that cost him the war."

"So then who did you have in mind?" Davos asks.

"Well…I was actually thinking you, sister." He turns his gaze to Sansa, who instantly perks up the moment he says that.

" _Me?_ As what? A h-hand?"

Jon snickers at her response. "It's not that surprising. You've had more experience with politics and the ways people have schemed than any of us, considering you lived with the Lannister's. You also know far more about the North politically than me. I believe with both of you, Daenerys and I could lead a united kingdom with the bonds that we need."

"I-I don't know what to say-"

"You don't need to say anything," Jon interjects, waving his hand dismissively. "It's a thought I've had. I want to make sure that our kingdom is ruled well and with a sound mind…there are options out there but I think Daenerys and I have both come to the conclusion that you're one of the best."

Sansa smiles a bit at him. "Daenerys really thinks that of me?"

"She thinks very highly of you. You've done well in shadowing her, that's for sure." He sees her smile widen ever so slightly, and she looks back at the fire. Jon reaches out and takes her hand in his, squeezing it. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Jon," she whispers.

"Well, I think Lady Sansa would be an excellent match," Davos says from his seat. "Especially considering her _connection_ with one of the queen's latest allies."

Jon rolls his eyes and Sansa blushes. He was referring to Theon. "There is no _connection._ It's smart that she did that. We needed it to bring our armies over…now if only a fucking army here could commit," Jon snaps.

Sansa reaches out and rubs his back. "Someone will come. I promise you this," she says softly to him. "At some point. They have to."

Jon lets out a quiet sigh. He really hoped she was correct.

* * *

The next morning, the people of Bear Island welcomed them to their home, but Jon had taken note that there weren't that many people surrounding the area. As they were brought to where they would meet Lyanna Mormont, the supposed leader of Bear Island now that most of the Mormont's were gone or banished, he was surprised to see she was so…little.

But at the way she was sitting at the high table, flanked by a commander and a maester at her side, it seemed she had grown into ruling quicker than he ever did.

"Lady Mormont," he begins quietly.

"Welcome to Bear Island, Jon Snow," she answers. "Or is it Jaehaerys? I've been hearing many rumors lately."

Jon does not back down. "I am a Targaryen, yes. But the North was my home for many years, and Stark blood runs through me just as much as the other. Just as much as my family right here," he says to Sansa, who nods and steps forward, looking to Lyanna.

"I remember when you were born, my lady," Sansa says. "You were named for my Aunt Lyanna…Jon's mother, as I'm sure the rumors have said. It was said she was a great beauty. I'm sure you will be, too."

Lyanna snorts a bit. "I doubt it." Her crass statement surprised him. "My mother wasn't a great beauty or any other kind of beauty. She was a great warrior, though…and she died, fighting for you," she states, her eyes narrowing at where Robb stood.

"Yes, she did. She was an honorable woman," Robb says to her gently. "And I hated the fact that she did die like that. But trust me that her death will not be put in vain."

"Vain? You've lost the North. Her death is very much in vain right now. And yet you ran away as my commander has told me. So unless you have some magical way to bring her back, I think you should shut your mouth."

Jon fights the urge to raise his brow. Wow. This little lady did not hold back.

"I do apologize greatly for my atrocious acts, Lady Mormont. I've been apologizing for the last month we have been here, trying to undo what I have done. And while I know I never truly can, at least what we are trying to do right now, what we are _all_ trying to do, will make up for it."

"I heard it hasn't been going very well," the little woman states.

"It hasn't, no," Jon admits quietly. "But I believe in miracles. I think you can too." He steps forward. "You know, I've worked with both your uncle and your cousin, Lady Lyanna. Both honorable warriors and men, at least for your uncle-"

"My cousin?"

"Jorah Mormont."

"Ah. _That_ cousin." Jon doesn't snort, but he could see the surprise in her eyes. She clearly didn't know much about him, most likely due to his banishment. "Even so, enough small talk. I'm assuming the reason you are here is related to Winterfell?"

"Stannis Baratheon garrisoned at Castle Black before he marched on Winterfell and was killed," Jon states. "He showed me the letter you wrote to him when he petitioned for men. It said-"

"I remember what it said," she answers. "'Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North whose name is Stark.' But seeming as the very man we had placed our trust in is back because he ran away, I don't know how loyal our house can be to a house of liars."

Robb goes to speak but Jon does instead, thinking it was best if he did this instead. "I know the betrayal you must be feeling. I felt the same way with the men who were supposed to follow me at Castle Black. It's horrible. But right now, House Stark is falling, and it needs your support more than ever. Castle Black has fallen, along with many of the men inside. The wildlings have all but been killed…if we want the Starks in Winterfell again, we must unite against Ramsey."

Lyanna leans in towards her maester, who whispers gently to her. After a moment, she glances back at Jon. "As far as I understand, you're a Targaryen. And Lady Sansa is a Bolton. Or is she a Lannister? I've heard conflicting reports."

"I did what I had to do to survive, my lady," Sansa states confidently. "But I am a Stark. I will always be a Stark."

"If you say so," Lyanna answers. "In any case, it's not just our allegiance you want. You want my fighting men."

"Ramsey Bolton cannot be allowed to keep Winterfell, my lady," Robb instantly states from where he stood. "He's done unspeakable things to the people of this country, to the men at Castle Black, to my _sister_ – I was never a fan of certain decisions people have made, but I can always agree that the killing of innocent lives is never good. It is our duty to stop him. Even more so now because he holds our brother, Rickon, as his prisoner. What you need to under-"

"I understand that I'm responsible for Bear Island," the girl responds. "And all who live here. So why should I sacrifice one more Mormont life for someone else's war? My mother was killed in the last one, Lord Stark. I'm not prepared to sacrifice more for a war that you might lose, especially with how many men have already died on your watch."

They fall silent. Davos steps forward this time. "If it please, my lady. I understand how you feel."

Her brow furrows. "I don't know you, Ser…?"

"Davos, my lady, of House Seaworth – you needn't ask your maester about my house. It's rather new."

Lyanna settles in her chair. "Alright, Ser Davos of House Seaworth. How is it that you understand how I feel?"

"You never thought you'd find yourself in your position," he answers. "Being responsible for so many lives at such a young age…I never thought I'd be here. I was a crabber's son, then I was a smuggler. And now I'm the hand to a future king and queen and found myself addressing the lady of a great house, in time of war. But I'm here because this isn't someone else's war. It's _our_ war."

Lyanna nods silently. "Go on, Ser Davos."

"Your uncle, Lord Commander Mormont, made Jaehaerys his steward," he states. "He chose Jon to be his successor because he knew he had the courage to do what was right, even if it meant giving his life. Because both Jeor Mormont and Jaehaerys understood that the real war isn't between a few squabbling houses. It's between the living and the dead. And make no mistake, my lady, the dead are coming."

Jon's brow raises. He hadn't expected Davos to bring that up, but judging by the expression on Lyanna's face, it seemed to be working. "Is it true?"

He nods. "Your uncle fought them at the First of the First men. I and Daenerys Targaryen fought them at Hardhome…we both lost."

"As long as the Boltons hold Winterfell, the North is divided," Robb states quietly from where he stood. "And a divided North won't stand a chance against the Night King."

"You want to protect your people, my lady," Davos states. "I understand. But there's no hiding from this. We have to fight and we need to do it together. I understand why you are wary of Robb, Sansa, even Jaehaerys considering he's not who everyone thought he was. But I can assure you from the bottom of my heart each of these people mean everything they say, and they will do everything in their power to win back the North, and unite us once more against the true threat."

Lyanna leans over towards her maester again, whispering, but she bites her lip and waves him away, looking to Robb. "House Mormont has kept faith with House Stark for 1,000 years. We will not break faith today."

Robb lets out a sigh of relief, as do the rest of them. "Thank you, my lady. How many fighting men can we expect?"

Her commander leans in and whispers. She turns back to them. "62."

Jon's brow raises slightly. Robb's is a bit higher. "…62?"

"We are not a large house, but we're a proud one. And every man from Bear Island fights with the strength of 10 mainlanders."

Davos was the one to break the silence of the Starks. "If they're half as ferocious as their lady, the Boltons are doomed."

Lyanna smiles at his words and nods. Jon could see Robb's wheels turning again as he glances away. The little girl, however, turns to Jon. "Is it true that you really are a Targaryen?" she asks him quietly.

"It is, my lady."

"Is Daenerys Targaryen as fierce as people say she is?" she asks once more. Her commander whispers in her ear again but she waves them off.

Jon smiles. "She is. And even more loyal for the ones who need it. She'll fight for you and for everyone. And she knows how to use a sword quite well."

Lyanna smiles at him. "She sounds like the dragon queen the rumors have said she is."

Jon chuckles. "She is true."

* * *

"62. Fucking 62?! I can't believe this."

Ever since they had ridden back to Castle Black, Robb had been eerily silent. While Jon, Sansa, and Davos had talked about the upcoming war, and more importantly, the war against the dead quite often, Robb had stayed silent, choosing to ride at the back of their group.

However, it seemed that the moment they stepped into the destroyed gates of Castle Black, he had snapped.

Tormund, along with the couple of wildlings that were still there, had greeted them, but at seeing Robb's angry look, Jon had said it was best to stay behind him and not speak. The rest of them had followed Robb into the main meeting room, where they had been so many times before, as he throws down his cloak, running his hands through his hair.

"I thought she was a nice little woman," Jon quips. "Full of passion."

" _Passion_ is not going to get our home back!" Robb snaps, turning to him. "Or Rickon!"

Jon sighs. "What did you expect, Robb? We knew that the North was going to be less than willing to follow you this time around. You need to prove yourself to them in order to win their hand back."

"How the fuck can I prove anything to them when they aren't even here?" Robb asks angrily. "For all I know, most of those men will believe anything but-"

"Robb, you made some shit decisions," Jon instantly states. "I won't deny that. But no one else can think you aren't a good battle strategist. Everyone thinks so. They just don't want to send their men off just yet. This is going to be harder than we imagined…but there's a way. There's always a way."

"Oh, like how you thought there was a way in Hardhome?"

"Don't test me," Jon responds angrily. "You never believed in them anyway, for years. You weren't there!"

" _Stop!"_ Sansa stands from where she sat, stepping between them. "Don't you see this is what he wants? Ramsey craves this. He _desires to separate_ you two. Already we've barely been here and you're at each other's necks! You need to get a fucking grip!"

The two of them glare at each other before turning away. Tormund had taken his spot next to Davos, who was looking at apparent letters Olly had just brought in. Jon's brow furrows. "What are those?"

"One is from House Reed," Davos reports. "They've aligned. They're going to be sending men."

"Thank the gods," Robb exhales, his head in his hands.

"What's the other?"

"The queen, your grace," Davos says, handing him the letter.

Jon doesn't allow himself to smile but he does feel his heart skip a beat. He had missed hearing from her. Fuck, he missed her in general. He can't wait until all of this was over.

"Excuse me," he says to the two of them. "I'll be in my chambers."

* * *

' _Jon,_

_I…I don't even know where to begin._

_I'm so horribly sorry to hear about the wildlings. I can't even imagine the fear they must have felt. That only means Ramsey must die as quickly as possible…absolutely terrible. Tormund is a good man to still be watching over them…when all of this is done, we need to take care of him. Give him somewhere to stay…where he can have a life._

_I can't stop thinking about it. Seven hells._

_I pray that you find the aid that you need. I'm hoping they will hold out for you soon. On my end of the world, we're going to be leaving soon. Tomorrow, actually. Right after I sent out this letter to you._

_I've finished the final plans of what we needed to do before we left. Daario agreed – begrudgingly, but he did – to stay behind and take care of the cities while I am gone, with his sellswords. We received word from The Golden Company that they are officially on their way to Dragonstone, and considering how far they are, I imagine they left quite a bit before us. However, we are planning on meeting there._

_Once we're at least a week out, I'm going to be sending a raven to the Tyrell's and Martel's to figure out how we might meet to align ourselves. It seems everything is coming together so quickly…all that is left is you. Any letters that you do send me might get lost…maybe by the grace of the gods I can see them but I hold no hopes._

_I can't wait to see you again but make sure all of this…nightmare is dealt with. I hope that somewhere along the line you can find a way to beat him…he's a sadistic man. Sansa has told me some things…but at the end of the day remember who you are – not a Northman or anything else. You're a Targaryen. **My** dragon. And I know that if need be, you will do what is right._

_I have news to tell you as well, but I don't find it fitting to put it in this letter…let that be an incentive to hurry as soon as you can. But for the love of all the gods…make sure that bastard hurts. For Sansa and for everything else he has done._

_I love you so much, Jon. I miss you more every day. I long for the moment we can kiss again. Until then, I enclosed something to remind you of me. It's quite a 'mistress' thing to do but you make me feel that way._

_-Daenerys.'_

Jon's brow furrows as he reaches into the parcel and feels himself laugh. It was one of Dany's clothes that she used to wipe her face in the morning. He always made fun of her whenever she did that because she would get 'dirty' either way. She said there was no harm in being clean.

Holding the clothe in his hands, it made him miss her more.

"Fuck," he grunts, running his hands through his hair.

There was a knock at the door, and Jon turns his head to see Tormund peeking his eyes in. "You alright in here, crow?"

Jon sighs and nods. "I'm…surviving, Tormund. That's the best choice of words here." He looks at him as he nods, gesturing for the wildling to sit down. "I'm horrified of what Ramsey did. Terrified of what he might have planned, seeing my former brother falling apart because of his past mistakes, and just…worried for the future. About everything…and I miss my wife more than anything."

"So you two _did_ tie the knot," Tormund chuckles.

Jon rolls his eyes. "Not yet…but she practically is. We've done everything together…and being here it's…draining. There's no life here anymore. It's horrible." He looks over at him. "I feel terrible now that I left you here and…and what happened…"

Tormund waves his hand dismissively. "It's not yer fault, crow."

"It _is."_ Jon stands and starts to pace, shaking his head. "I brought you and all of your people South of the Wall because I thought you would be safer here. I brought you here because I knew we needed men to fight the dead. But here we are, all of your fighting men gone because of that _fucking bastard_ over there, and the innocent lives I wanted to protect gone as well – it's like _everything_ I did meant nothing!"

" _Jon._ "

Tormund's voice booms from where he sat. The wildling stood and approached the heavily-breathing dragon, who was trying desperately to control the bubbling anger he had attempted so hard to maintain. He presses his hands into Jon's shoulders, grounding him.

"What happened was _war,_ crow. We knew something like this might happen…did we expect such a hard hit? No. Of course we didn't…but don't let what happened here change the fact that if we were still North of the Wall, we'd be dead at this point. And look –" He points to Jon's desk. "Your work still got done here after a bit. They still studied the wights of Thorne and his little henchman to see how those wights work. You have all of the documents ya could need…innocent people die every day, Jon. It doesn't make it right, but it happens. It's something I've learned to live with…and it's something you need to learn to live with too."

Jon looks at him quietly, feeling himself calm a bit as he glances at the fire. "I think I just…miss her. I feel like I can't do this without her." He glances back at Tormund. "I did so much when I was alone but when I'm with her I feel like it actually _means_ something. She's my other half."

"Your better half," Tormund quips. Jon glares. "What? I'm only speaking the truth."

Jon feels himself chuckles despite himself and nods. "You're right…she is better." He looks to him and nudges his shoulder. "I think one day you'll find that too."

"Oh, I think I already have," he says. At Jon's raised eyebrow, he nods towards the meeting room. "That big woman there – now _she's_ a beauty!"

Jon snorts. He was talking about _Brienne_ of all people. Sure, she had a certain beauty to her but yeah, he could understand why Tormund would be attracted to her, out of everyone.

Before he could comment, there was a sudden screaming match from the meeting room. "You did _what?!"_

It was Sansa's voice.

The king and the wildling exchanged a look of worry before quickly racing out of the former Lord Commander's chambers.

* * *

What Jon saw was…surprising. And almost hypocritical.

Sansa was being held back by Brienne, who was cursing and yelling at where Robb stood. "You fucking _arsehole!_ "

"What in the name of the seven hells is going on?" Jon asks as he walks forward. "Didn't you once say not a couple of moments ago we can't turn on each other!"

"Ask Robb what he did," Sansa hisses. "Then you'll see why I want to _murder_ him!"

Jon turns to where Robb was, who had stood in the corner, next to Ser Davos. The letter from House Reed lay on the table, barely touched. "Robb, what happened?" Jon slowly asks.

Robb doesn't answer. Jon grows impatient.

He looks to Davos. "What is it, my hand?"

"It's…a matter of Robb's will."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "His…will?"

"You see, in the letter that House Reed has sent us, they say that Robb had written up a will, because he had thought he might die in certain instances. That will had remained lost for some time, even after his supposed death…but apparently, a servant of House Reed had found it. In this will, Robb said that he…legitimized you as heir to Winterfell."

Jon looks to Robb, who nods quietly. "Well, that would have been nice to know years ago."

"But only under one condition," Davos continues. "That there is no other rightful living heir. And if the heir is too young, a regent will be in charge until the heir comes of age. Robb thought that most of his siblings were dead…so he thought of you."

"But…what about Sansa?"

"Sansa…is barred from succession."

" _Excuse me?_ " he asks, walking over to the letter.

"House Reed mentions in the letter that because Sansa is technically a Lannister, they are wary of serving her – and I quote, 'for the same reasons that you barred her from taking the seat of Winterfell.'"

Jon feels himself lower the letter slowly before turning to look at Robb. "You disowned your own sister due to a marriage?"

"She was married to Tyrion!"

"I was _forced_ to be!" she snaps angrily at him. "You think I ever wanted to marry that drunken fool?! Only until he got older somehow did he get his wits. And even then, I-"

" _Sansa_."

Jon's words seem to stop her in her tyrant, and she breathes heavily, turning to look at him. He slowly gets up and looks from Robb to her.

"Take a deep breath. You yourself said that we can't let this tear us apart. Please. For me."

Sansa stares at him in shock, but as his urging, she takes a deep breath and glances away, looking to the ground. Jon grabs the parchment again and reads over the lines before looking to Robb. "I don't blame you for what you did-"

"But-"

" _Sansa, be quiet,_ " Jon instantly states, turning to her. She crosses her arms against her chest, letting out a short huff. "I know you were in a horrible situation when you were with the Lannister's. I understand that. But he had a good reason for doing what he did. If I was in his shoes, I think I probably would have done something similar."

"…Jon…" He could hear the hurt in her voice.

"Listen to me," he says gently. "When you went with the Lannister's, you were wide-eyed and willing to marry Joffrey just like that if given the chance to become the queen. Yes, over time you experienced some horrible situations, and you were forced into awful circumstances that none of us can deny. But at the end of the day, what he did was the smart choice. Think about it. If Robb had died, the Lannister's could have installed you as the leader here. They could have used you as a puppet to somehow infiltrate the North. And Robb had no way of knowing if you were loyal or not…it's not like you two were constantly trading letters. They might have gotten infiltrated at some point if you did." Jon turns to Robb, who was leaning against the wall, glancing away. "You have the right to speak too."

"I know, I…Sansa." He turns to look at her. "What I did was for the safety of our home. I didn't know if you'd be reliable still. For years you never understood the burden I had to carry to somehow keep this family alive and safe…that will now means nothing considering the circumstances we are in. I can revoke it completely if you so desire. What these people say mean nothing…but it's what I had to do at the time. It's the tough decisions that leaders have to make if they want to make it anywhere in the world. It's what I had to do…I hope you can forgive me."

Sansa turns to him, breathing heavily. But, without a single word, she steps out of the room. Brienne seemed surprised at the turn of events but does so as well, the ever-loyal follower she is. Jon lets out a deep sigh as he sees Robb sit in one of the chairs near the front. "Leave us," he commands to the rest of the group.

They seem to follow and head off, leaving them alone. Jon turns to where Robb was sitting and walks close to him, taking a seat next to his body. The fire in the pit roared in front of them. "I know you probably think I'm a horrible brother."

"I don't," Jon reassures him gently, leaning over and resting a hand on his shoulder. "I get why you did it. Really, I do. Even if Arya or someone else was in the same situation I'd be wary of doing something like that as well."

Robb looks at the fire, his shoulders dropping. "I had to deal with so much back then…and mother didn't make it any easier. I lost one of my prisoners because of her, Jaime _fucking_ Lannister. A prime bargaining chip with Tywin…everything just started to spiral." He glances back at Jon. "I _know_ I'm good at what I do but when the whole North tells you what a fool I am…it's gotten to me. Even that little lady seems to hate me. I don't deserve the North after everything that's happened."

Jon looks at him quietly before letting out a slow nod. "You're right. Right now, you don't." Robb turns back to him. "While I'm not surprised that you ran away, you still ran, and that's where the big issue lies. You know that the North is never in favor of people up and abandoning their homes and their families…they're stuck that way. But that doesn't mean that you can't earn it back."

"How are we going to win Winterfell with this small of an army?" Robb asks, his voice breaking. "We know how much Ramsey has."

"Then we think of a different way," Jon urges. "A better way. A safer way. I know before we fought but you're right, there is _always_ a way." He knocks Robb's head. "I know you have something up there in that smart noggin of yours."

Robb chuckles a bit and glances away. It was silent between the two brothers before Robb lets out a long sigh. "I'm fucking jealous of you, Jon."

Jon's brow raises. " _Me?_ What in the world do you have to be jealous of me?"

"You have everything I ever wanted," Robb says quietly, looking at him. "You have men who will follow you. You're the leader of your army. Hell…you're even marrying someone from foreign lands, but that's actually working out for you." Robb glances back at the ground and runs his hands through his hair. "I think about her every day, you know…what I could have done differently." He looks back at him. "But now there's nothing I can do except…somehow try and live. And maybe I'll find a purpose again as you've found yours." He looks to the window now, the snow falling outside. "I know I didn't treat her correctly. Or anyone really politely…honestly I've been stuck in my own head. I don't know how I can ever come back from something like this. For years I always thought I'd…I'd be the one everyone ran to, and now to see you doing it…it's been a bit of a shock. I guess that's what I deserve for disappearing for years."

He falls silent a moment later. Jon lets out a soft sigh and reaches out to his brother. "Robb, just because right now life seems bleak doesn't mean you won't have a purpose. Do you think I expected _any_ of this a year ago?"

Robb slowly nods his head.

"No. I didn't. If anything, I expected to still be at the Night's Watch, commanding a group of men where half of them didn't respect me. But here I am because I took the opportunity life gave me…you need to do that too. When life gives you these chances, don't let them go. Right now, life is giving you a shot to rebuild your image not only in the name of the North but in the name of Westeros. Don't let your own insecurities get to you from fully achieving what you want to do. You never did before. Why start now?"

Robb's eyes search his own before he nods, a quiet but endearing smile coming on his lips. "You're right…you are." He glances back at the ground. "Turns out you are a better Lord than I am."

"I wouldn't say that. You're meant to lead here. I'm meant to lead elsewhere." He tilts his brother's head up. "But that doesn't change the fact that we are family and we have to look out for each other, just as Sansa said."

"Just as she said," Robb repeats.

There was a sudden cough that came from the entranceway of the room and the two men turned their eyes to see their sister, standing there with her arms crossed. She comes inside quietly, sighing before she looks to Robb.

"I'm sorry for storming out as I did. It was childish. But you need to understand how I feel too…I know that you thought I was enamored with the Lannister's but I promise you I wasn't. I was trying my hardest to somehow find a way out for years…one of the possibilities that kept me going was that I could return home. And to hear you took that away from me hurts."

"I know." Robb stands from his seat and approaches his sister. "I know it did, but we all had to make terrible and horrible decisions because of war. It was the smart move to do at the time. It's not like I'm going to still have that will invoked because now I am quite alive and I can see you're on our side. It's not like before." He rests his hands on her shoulders, smiling. "You're my sister. I'm going to make sure I take care of you first and foremost."

Sansa smiles at his words and nods, before reaching over and hugging him tightly. "You have no idea how happy I am that you are alive."

Jon clears his throat. "I'm _right_ here."

"Oh, stop it," Sansa chuckles as she pulls away. "You know I care for you both equally." She turns to face the two of them now. "But even if the conflict is resolved…that doesn't change the fact that we need to find a way to do this with the men that we have."

"I…actually have an idea," Jon proposed. "One that could use Robb's head."

Robb raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you know the catacombs of Winterfell well, right?" His brother nods. "Then that's the perfect excuse to try and sneak in rather than waste the men. You can prove that you care about the North by saving lives, and we can prove that not everything has to end in battle."

Both Sansa and Robb look to each other in confusion and then to him. "What are you referring to, Jon?"

The dragon king rolls his eyes and stands, before gesturing to where the battle chambers were. "Come with me. I think I have an idea of how we can prove Ramsey wrong."

* * *

' _To my love,_

_I hope this reaches you…somehow. I'm praying to every god there is that it does, even while you are on the sea._

_I thank you for your sorrows into what has happened here, and I wish you well on your travels to Dragonstone. I'm sure that with the crew you have…even with Theon there, you will make it there safely. He may be a right git but he was always good at ships – for the time. Let's hope his sister is better at sailing._

_As for my situation…it hasn't gotten better. The last week has been grueling. We did procure support from House Mormont and House Reed – the woman who runs the prior is a fiery little one. I think you'd like her. And Sansa just received word back from the Vale yesterday, saying they'd pledge their support._

_But here's where the bad news begins…the Vale will not be able to send all of their men. Only three thousand – maybe just a bit more to make up for the wildlings we have lost. Petyr told Sansa that the rest of them have been going through a sort of plague lately – it's been going through the ranks like no one's business. Only the healthy ones are to be sent. I still don't know whether to trust him or not. But at least for now, I can be thankful for the tiny amount he had given._

_I also fear that controlling the armies might grow harder considering it is so little. While they swore to serve House Stark, right now the head of it is a woman and a man that ran away…and while I hate what Robb had said in the past, Sansa is technically married to both a Lannister and a Bolton, and until Ramsey is killed and Sansa's marriage to Tyrion is annulled, she cannot be the leader here. That is something for after the war._

_Even so, despite the struggles, I do have hope that something good will happen. We've been working on something together that might save most of these men. A plan that might not even require them at all because I had a feeling something like this would happen._

_I won't reveal everything in here, for fear of Ramsey possibly intercepting this letter, but know that I'm going to try my hardest to make sure these people don't need to waste their lives again. I refuse to let that happen…to many innocent people have died already. I need to make sure we keep them alive as long as possible._

_I appreciated your little gift. Admittingly it is what keeps my heart beating at night. I sometimes hold it simply just to think of you in my darkest moments – my light, that's what you are. I miss you terribly, as well as Arya and everyone else there – especially our dragons. Rhaegal has been staying on the outskirts of Winterfell but even when I visit him I feel as if he is oceans away, wanting to be in warm weather again. Gods do I want to give it to him._

_Even so, I look forward to hearing what news you have to bring. A new alliance, possibly? Best not to talk about it over the letter._

_I love you, Dany. I'm going to make sure I see you soon…safe travels to Dragonstone. Save a spot on the throne for me._

_-Jon.'_

* * *

The plan was simple.

When Jon and Robb had been speaking with the leaders of the groups of the small number of houses that had some, he had said he wanted to make sure as few lives died as possible. They were drastically down in numbers. They needed to make sure that the rest of the North saw this as a victory, not through death but through life.

After a couple of conversations with his brother and his men, they had decided that the best way – at least at first – to try and end this was from the inside out, while saving as many lives as possible. And that would first begin with trying to save Rickon.

When Barristan had rescued Sansa, he had waited for the perfect moment - when Ramsey's armies had run into Stannis' and the castle was left unattended, for a bit. There and then, Barristan had made his way into Winterfell and taken back Sansa as well as Theon, helping them escape. That was exactly what Jon planned to do because he refused to let more and more men die.

He proposed the plan to his family and they agreed. Robb was on the side of trying to keep as many people alive as possible as well, so maybe sneaking in first would be their best option going forward.

When night fell, they proposed the plan to the men, most agreeing that it was the safest bet considering the number of soldiers Ramsey had compared to them. Olly had been the first to volunteer to help, and while Jon had fought him tooth and nail, saying it was better if he stayed back, he said he needed to prove himself.

"I've been helping, yes," he said to him quietly, whispering practically. "I've been doing all of this for everyone and it's been great, but I know that I can help. If I'm going to become a knight then I have to do these things…one way or another."

Jon had sighed, shaking his head. But after some time, he realized that even if he had said no to the boy, he would have found a way around it one way or the other. So, he had nodded and said to stay close to the men that would be there.

Together, he devised a group of two, smaller groups, one that would lead Ramsey's men away from their patrols, and the other that would sneak into the castle and bring back Rickon. Once his younger brother was in his grasps, attacking the castle wouldn't be as strenuous, and Ramsey wouldn't have the bait over him.

Once the plan was set, they traveled for the next two weeks to get to the outskirts of Winterfell, setting up camp not too far away, being sure to stay away from prying eyes. Jon had missed the fact that he couldn't receive letters right now but knew it was most likely best that his mind was focused on the task at hand then on the beauty that was sailing West right now.

He had left Sansa with Brienne and Podrick there, along with Davos. His hand had insisted on coming, but when Jon had said that he needed him alive and he knew he wasn't much of a fighter, the man had relented and stayed behind, swearing to look after the wildlings and the rest of the army there. He had said his goodbyes to Sansa, hugged her tightly, knowing how serious this was, and then went on their way. Robb had come along with him, deciding that it was best they stayed together. He would be in the group with Jon that went to the castle to somehow get Rickon back.

They stayed camped for a day when they did reach Winterfell. Most sitting by a fire, eating, drinking, swapping what seemed to be former battle stories. Jon could even see that Olly was enjoying himself, sitting near the corner and having some pork, laughing. It was nice to picture this, for one moment…before they needed to forget their own selves and relent towards Winterfell.

When the sun set and the moon rose, they staged their plan. The group that was to distract Ramsey's men set out East. Jon had embraced Olly tightly, telling him to always keep his sword close or else he'd knock his head when he came back. Olly had responded with a smile and nod before heading off, staying with some of the Vale and Bear Island soldiers.

Once they were gone, Jon, Robb, and the rest of the men that were with him settled through the trees, using the blanket of the night to cover their shadows as they aimed to head towards the back, waiting for the right moment.

That moment didn't come for hours until there did seem to be some sort of commotion around the middle of the night. He could see multiple soldiers heading through the back, going in the direction of the soldiers, which is exactly where the distraction had gone to. Robb had urged his men to run forward at that time, heading in through the back of the castle.

Using the flames from the torches to guide them, they went from shadow to shadow, all the way through the hallways of the formerly once-great Winterfell. The brothers, having grown up in this castle, knew these walls inside out. Finding their way to the dungeons was not that hard. They split up into several different groups, ones that would fight off men if they were found and the others that would set Rickon free.

It seemed that everything was going to plan as they made their way down, bit by bit, avoiding the soldier's eyes as they ran past. It wasn't long before they did reach the very entrance to the cages, where Rickon will have been kept. As Jon walked in, he could see multiple dogs barking at him, some growling. The men he brought stood by the door, watching carefully in case anyone came by. Hopefully, it would be enough of a distraction outside.

As Jon walked in, however, he didn't see a human. He saw no sign of his brother. Every cage was filled with a dog that was snarling at him, but the last one – one that had seemed to have once been inhabited by something living – was empty. All but a note laid on the hay beneath it.

"What the fuck is going on?" Robb instantly asks, turning to look at the door as he holds his sword tightly.

Jon swings the cage-door open and he grabs it, his eyes quickly scanning over the note. His heart stops as he does so.

' _Bastard,_

_You really think I know nothing, do you? I have plenty of ways to find out your convoluted plans._

_I know who you are. You may be a Targaryen but you still think in your bastard ways. Don't you know that in order to make it in this world, you must be fierce? Smarter? Cunning? I see none of that in you, therefore to me, you will always be a bastard._

_I heard about your little idea to somehow save your 'brother' from my clutches without hurting your men. It's not hard to find good help sometimes. I think you better be more into your army's daily briefings. As for where Rickon is, he is somewhere you will never find unless I tell you. A shame you couldn't face me like a man and die the way you should._

_As for your men, I think I'll let my soldiers have fun with them._

_I'll see you on the battlefield.'_

" _Olly,_ " Jon hisses before turning to the men. As soon as he does, however, he could hear screams coming from the hallway and the swing of swords. The last thing he saw before he sprung into action was Robb slamming his own sword through the chest of a soldier.

There had been a _spy in his camp. **Fuck.**_

Jon quickly breaks through the crowd and slaughters every soldier that fought them, slamming Blackfyre into the stomach of one and then swinging it out to head into the head of another. Blood and guts spilled onto the floor and spritzed onto his face. He could hear more soldiers coming. He turns to his bloodied men. "What the hell is happening?!" someone yells.

"They've found out through someone," Jon breathes out, turning to Robb. He could sense the man's anxiety.

"We must get to the meeting point now!" Robb urges.

Without question, they follow him, killing any Bolton soldier that dared cross their path.

* * *

Running to where the other group was had been the most heartbreaking and chilling moment of Jon's life so far.

The trees were still the same, the night just as dark, but there was a certain horror that he felt as he flanked past bodies on the ground, some of his men and some of the others. There were some leftover Bolton soldiers that they slew as they ran close to the point, some of which they Jon had split in half as quickly as possible with his sword, all while his mind was ablaze.

It was his fault. All his fault. He had been so focused on everything else that he hadn't been able to see the trickery from right under his nose as if it was never there. He hadn't been able to see that someone had spoken his whole plan. How could he have been so _blind?!_

The trees sway in the wind as they ran, the chilly air biting Jon's face as he did so, until they made it through to the clearing they had settled in. As soon as Jon walked into it, he felt his sword drop to the ground. He could hear Robb quietly gasp behind him.

Littered on the ground were bodies in different ways of death. Some had their arms sliced off, others their legs, a few had holes through their chests. Their blood was spilled onto the ground, cuts, and insides following some of them. It was a massacre. But what brought Jon's eyes forward was a smaller body lying in the middle.

A smaller one that looked exactly like Olly.

"Jon, no-" Robb tries to say but Jon couldn't hear anything else but the white noise around him. He walked over and practically fell to his knees when he realized it _was_ the young boy, his eyes open, staring at the sky but lifeless. And along his neck was a horribly looking slit, with dried blood now on his skin, and some fresh occasionally leaking out.

Tears instantly started to fall from Jon's eyes, angry tears, ones that were fueled with rage and hatred. His arms cradle the young boy, cursing everything within him and his life that he could have _prevented this._ If he just _fought more…_ if he just…

" _If I'm going to be a knight, I have to do these things."_

Jon opens his eyes, letting out a shaky breath before slowly standing. He could hear shouting in the distance. One of his men rushes towards him, a younger one who had his eyes filled with fear. "Lord Targaryen, we have to go – they're coming soon."

Jon feels himself swallow, looking down at the men below him and the young boy that he had once called 'brother.' He looks to his men, keeping his own rage intact for the time being. It wasn't their fault. All of the men here had been at his side in Winterfell…it was someone else who had done so.

"Each of you, take a body," he commands. "We're not leaving them behind."

"But, sir-"

Jon grabs the shirt of one of the younger boys roughly, pulling him up. " _That is an order,_ " Jon hisses.

The boy quickly nods as Jon drops him to the ground. One by one they begin to pick up the bodies of the soldiers as quickly as possible, running into the darkness, trying to keep it as their shroud until the morning came. Jon gently picks up Olly's body, keeping it close before he starts to walk forward, grabbing Blackfyre as he did so.

Robb comes to his side, picking up one of the dead men onto his shoulders. "We'll make them pay," his brother swears. "We will." Jon looks to him and then at the ground, not saying anything. Oh, he'd make Ramsey pay.

He was going to make sure he never saw the light of day again.

* * *

They run until the sun had barely risen, and once they reached their camp, they packed up the bodies in one of the carriages they had taken, and head out as quickly as possible. It was eerily silent, where one could hear a pin drop. Soldiers quietly talked to each other for only a little bit until they would be silenced by the seriousness of the situation.

The group walked again, for two more weeks, but the mood was somber, not a hint of joy, not like the night prior to when they had infiltrated the castle. It would have been so easy…but of course, life always had a twist in mind.

When they did arrive at Castle Black, it seemed that everything had changed there as well. The moment they saw the small group arrive – much smaller this time – they had bowed their heads, taking a knee. Jon hadn't acknowledged them, letting Robb do most of that since these were going to be his men in the future hopefully.

Instead, his eyes were on the gate as he walked in, seeing that Sansa was standing there with Davos and Tormund, as well as Brienne. With a man at his knees.

Sansa's eyes connect with his own as he walks in, and she instantly understands what happens – especially when she notices Olly is not next to him. "Robb…Jon…" she whispers.

He shakes his head, trying to keep the pain from his voice. "Someone told him," he answers calmly, looking back at her. "Someone here. I watched _all_ of our men out there. Every single second of the day. There was no way it was one of them."

Sansa steps to the side, looking to the man that was on the floor, yelling through his mouthpiece. "Tormund caught his men sending out a raven a couple of weeks ago. We've had him locked up ever since. We only took him out when we heard your arrival."

Robb looks to Tormund. "Did you happen to see what letter he did send out?"

"I didn't see 'hat it was, but I did 'ear him say somethin' 'bout 'lettin' the folks know at Winterfell. It's the only reason. There hasn't been 'nother letter since then. Only ones that have come in."

Jon looks to Davos and Brienne. "Do you two support this theory?"

Brienne nods, while Davos speaks. "I have gotten a confession out of him, your grace. He said he did send the letter to Ramsey."

Jon's brow furrows. "He confessed to you? Just like that?"

"He was more willing to confess to a nobody than a soldier. He didn't know I was the hand."

Jon nods quietly before looking to where the man was knelt. He tears off the gag that was tied around his mouth, hearing the man breathe in for air as soon as he does so. "Do you have any words to speak for yourself?"

"Yeah, I do," the man growls. Jon could see that his tunic resembled the house of the Vale, the same symbol as before. "I know that not all the men here are loyal to you. They fucking _hate_ Targaryen's and I do too. They're just too afraid to do what I have done! But I am not afraid…I will not live in a world where a Targaryen has the throne again!"

Jon lets out a slow sigh before standing. "I don't get it." He takes a step back and turns to look at some of the soldiers that stood there, all watching the scene. "You know, I don't _have_ to be here." He gestures to Castle Black. "You know where I _want_ to be right now?! With my family, on a boat, sailing to Dragonstone. But I'm _not_ because I have _always_ held fond feelings for the North. It was my _home._ For _many_ years. I am risking not only my life, my sister's life, my brother's life, but my family's life by being here, to reclaim the home that belongs to the Starks – a part of _my_ blood. I may not be who you thought I was but this is _still_ a part of me. I may be a Targaryen but I _care for **all**_ of you! When are you going to learn that the past is the _past_ and this is now?! For all you know, I had the choice to burn this whole place to the ground. I still can. But I choose not to because I genuinely give a shit about all of you. If you are so against a tyrant ruler, how could you let someone like _Ramsey_ stay in Winterfell for so long?! It makes no fucking sense."

There was no response. Jon knew the answer. Most of them had been lazy slobs before he and his family had returned. They didn't call it upon themselves to try and fix the issue. Figured.

He had started to lose his patience near the end, before turning to the man behind him.

"I hope you're happy. Your prejudice has cost men their lives. Men who had families, a life outside of war…a young boy was killed because you felt that a Targaryen should never sit on a throne again. But I'll let you know that no matter what you have done, your wish will never be fulfilled."

Before the man could speak again, Jon removes Blackfyre and swings it clean across his neck. Within seconds, his decapitated head falls to the ground, as well as his body, blood spurting onto the ground. Sansa, Davos, and Tormund all take a step back, looking at the dead body with a mix of shock and surprise. Robb seemed genuinely impressed that he did it so easily, but his brother didn't know the betrayals he had faced in his lifetime.

Jon takes a deep breath before turning to where the soldiers were. "I understand why you feel that way regarding the Targaryen's. I _do._ I am not blind to your feelings, or what your family has gone through because of my ancestors. And if you have something to say to my face about that, feel free. The whole point of Daenerys and I taking over the Iron Throne is so that we can rebuild our family's name and make a new world for all of you. To redo what this kingdom has become. We want to make your lives better, and that means taking in all of your complaints and your queries."

He places Blackfyre back in its sheath, not moving his gaze from the men.

"But when your worries affect my men, affect the innocent lives that have sworn themselves to fight, that's where I draw the line. When your thoughts of the past affect a young boy's life, someone who was under my wing to try and become a fucking _knight_ one day, that's where I will make sure you will never open your eyes once more. This little letter that he has sent out has fucked up _our whole plan._ I don't care what you may think of me or my brother or my family but know, because of his thoughts, we are in an even worse position than before. We tried to do this without a fight, so you could have a _life._ But now, he might have changed everything for us."

He points to the dead body on the snow-ridden ground.

"If any of you ever do something like this, I will cut off your fucking head just like I did to his man. No rights, nothing. You die. End of discussion. I am a forgiving man. I have given people second chances all the time. But this is the one exception where if you ever betray my men, I will make sure you die. I don't care what you think of my honor. I couldn't give two shits about it. These are the _lives of people at hand._ And no one shall live if they threaten the very balance of all we hold dear. Am I understood?"

The soldiers instantly nod, most eyes directed towards where the body laid, others completely focused on something else. Jon sighs again before turning to where the body was.

"Make sure his body is burned. And do the same for the men that are in the carriage…probably not the best smell to have right now."

Robb waves his hand in dismissal. "I've smelt worse shit." He rests it on his shoulder a moment later. "You did the right thing…he had to die."

Jon nods once before heading to the carriage, opening it up. "I'll take care of the boy."

* * *

Jon had prepared the pyre himself from trees in the forest, away from Castle Black. He needed to, for if he was near the men right now, he didn't know what he would do.

He had placed the boy's body on the pyre without words. It seemed that his dragon could sense what he was feeling and had come to him, and was now resting among the trees. Jon watched the body for some time, not knowing what to say or where to begin.

The only words that do escape, however, were the ones he had wanted to say the moment he saw him on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Olly," he whispers, his voice pained. "I never should have let this happen…I never should have allowed this to happen…fuck, you didn't deserve this."

He fights back the tears as he takes a step back. His thoughts were a mess. He could hear his words in his heads, his pleas of hope and happiness, how he would speak and train with Podrick…everything he had witnessed. How he had told Daenerys of what had happened, how he had fought against the brothers…everything was gone now.

It was all a waste. His life was a waste.

As a tear does escape, he whispers, "You were the best steward I ever could have had…the best squire…I never should have let this happen... _fuck_..." He closes his eyes and forces himself to speak to the word. " _Dracarys_."

Within seconds, Rhaegal lights up the pyre silently, the fire crackling under the heat, wood breaking, developing the boy's body. Jon feels himself fall to the ground, running his hands through his hair before his head rested on his knees. And then, he allows himself to cry.

He cries for the boy's life lost. He cries for his men. He cries for his family. He cries for everything. Because at this point, there was nothing else he could do except give in.

He stays until the body was gone.

* * *

When the sun had risen, Jon had flown back to the Wall. Did he care if the men saw him? No. They knew who he was. And honestly, he didn't feel like walking. As the flames had died down, all Jon had felt was anger. Hatred. Rage. It was spiraling around him like an inferno.

Who was Ramsey to think that he could suddenly control Winterfell? Control everything? Who was he to put his cousin in places he should never be? His fucking _brother?_ He wanted to beat him down. He wanted to burn him to the ground. He wanted to stab every single last part of his body until he was begging for mercy and even then Jon would not give it.

And these thoughts continued to manifest their way into his head as he paced along the top of the Wall, while Rhaegal and flown back off to rest for a bit. The wind nipped at his skin, but the cold hadn't bothered him for a long time. No, the only thing that bothered him right now was the simplicity of what they were doing.

What was he thinking? He had an army, yes, but there was a simple way to do this…his men were being murdered. Jon had a solution to this…and he and everyone else knew what it was. The question was…was he willing to make that jump?

Quite honestly, he had reached that point. Maybe the best way to bring hell down on Ramsey was through fire and blood. And if need be, he would make sure that his body would be burnt to the ashes of all the gods above and below…or maybe even worse. Dany always says that he was a dragon…maybe it was time he acted like one too.

"Are you brooding again, brother?"

His head turns quicker than a wheel ever turn, around until he faced the familiar sound that he hadn't heard for so long. He feels the anger he had melt away – if not just for a moment – and get replaced with utter shock and astoundment – but more importantly, _joy._

There, standing at the entrance to the top of the Wall, was Arya Stark. And behind her was his love, Daenerys.

"I…h…"

"Stop stuttering and get over here and hug me."

Jon doesn't speak after that. He runs over to where she stood and practically lifts Arya up off the ground, spinning her around. She laughs as he does so, her arms wrapping around him tightly. Jon could feel happy tears finally come from his eyes this time, ones that he had missed having for so long.

His sister was alive. She was _alive._

He lowers her to the ground, his hand resting on her cheek. "How are you here?" he whispers.

"Ask your queen," Arya answers before turning to Daenerys.

Jon looks at her and saw Dany was smiling brightly at him. She takes his hands in hers. He couldn't believe she was there. "I had a feeling something had gone wrong," she answers softly. "I got your last letter somehow…seems the gods wanted me to know. I told Arya and she refused to let me leave on Drogon without taking her."

"I needed to be here too!" she fights back.

"I know," Daenerys chuckles before nudging the girl's shoulder. "I'd never leave my best soldier behind." Arya smiles at her words and Jon could feel his heart warm. Gods, he knew they would get along if given the time. "I spoke to Aemon and Ser Barristan," Dany says gently. "They both said I could go as long as I went directly to you, and I did, even though they were worrying like mad…I couldn't be away anymore. You need to tell me what has gone wrong so horribly...for all of this to happen. We need to work through this together now. We tried doing this apart but I know that something else has gone wrong."

Her hands rest against his cheeks. Gods, he wanted to kiss her, to hold her, but not here. However, the tears still come down his cheeks, and he feels himself break. Arya's brow furrows at that as he begins to cry once more, all of his emotions enrapturing him at once.

He hears Daenerys quickly say to Arya, "Why don't you go down to the castle? Surprise your sister and brother for me…I'll stay with him." The young girl hugs him from the side quickly before heading away, leaving the two of them alone. Gods, he couldn't even be properly happy about his sister being alive because of everything that occurred. _Fuck,_

Once they were alone, Daenerys' fingers gently stroke away Jon's tears, before she leans in and presses her soft lips against his. It was warm and sweet and loving and everything he needed and if anything, it made his dam break more. It wasn't the reunion he had hoped for.

When she pulls back, she tilts his chin up to look her in the eye. "Something else has gone wrong. Jon… _what happened?_ "

So he spills over, and tells her everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean I couldn't keep everyone alive ya know
> 
> Again I told ya this battle is going to be a bit different from the one on the show and for good reason, so this is just the beginning. I also wanted to include Robb a little more in this because I brought him back for a reason too, and I can't keep shitting on him for so long lol so I hope this chapter showed that he is trying for sure. 
> 
> Please let me know what you all think in the comments as I love hearing what you have to say. Your comments have been so amazingly inspiring and I've loved every single one of them and reading them ahs really helped me become a better writer. I love reading all of your suggestions and criticisms and everything involved, so thank you all for being amazing commentors and reading - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day. And thank you again for being so amazing. I love you all. 
> 
> Next up: Jon and Daenerys discuss their options and decide on one that could change the fact of the North and Westeros forever. A battle occurs.


	26. An Ambush of Fire and Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys, Jon, and the Castle Black crew decide on the best course of action to regain Winterfell. A battle occurs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you all SO MUCH for the amazing response on the last chapter. All of your words of encouragement and praise of the redone chapter made me so happy and glad that I rewrote it, and thank you all for sticking by me. You are all truly so freaking amazing and I love you all so much, so thank you for being you <3.
> 
> I'm sorry that this chapter took a little longer than usual but life got in the way lmfao and I wanted to try and make the battle different from the show version because *obviously.* I've never been amazing at battle scenes but I tried quite hard for this so I hope ya'll like it haha I hope you enjoy! :)

_Jon_

He felt like he was in a dream – well, a nightmare and a dream.

A nightmare more because of what had just happened to his men. To Olly. To everyone. What they were facing. But a dream because not only was most of his family reunited, his love was here as well.

It was like the world hadn't been falling apart not hours earlier. It was still hard to believe, but it was true. She was here, next to him, along with his sister of all things. And he had explained everything, from their travels to Winterfell to how Ramsey found out about their plan, to Olly's death and the trip back. And she had listened to every single word.

After he tale – a couple of reassuring words to him – they had gone back down to the meeting room, where everyone had reunited. Sansa and Daenerys had laughed and embraced. Robb – trying to at least _not_ be like who he was before – had bowed to her. But Daenerys being the woman that she was had put petty complaints to the side and hugged him as well.

The reunion between Arya, Sansa, and Robb had been emotional. Both had hugged the young girl so tightly that she had barely been able to breathe. Tears were shed, embraces were shared, before they eventually did all sit down, needing to discuss what comes next for their army. After that, they had filled her in on everything that had happened, and the houses they had been given before the silence had come.

"You see," Davos had said to break it. "It seems that no matter what there's something going wrong. But we need to end this. There has to be a way around all of this."

Daenerys nods before leaning back in her seat, turning to where Sansa sat. She had made them some tea, their hands staying warm. "Sansa, you said that you and Littlefinger have some sort of…connection, correct?"

"He's a fucking snake in the grass," Robb mutters.

"He really is," Arya agrees.

"Let her speak," Daenerys commands gently before turning to Sansa. "Tell me."

"I…do." She looks back at her siblings, who both had dirty looks. "I know. He's done horrible things. He's the reason I went through all of that with Ramsey. I _get it._ I know he isn't a good man. But he did save me from getting my head cut off by Cersei after Joffrey was killed. He's always held affection for me."

"He's held affection for power," Robb responds. "He's used you to climb up the ranks."

" _Robb._ "

"It's also because he had a thing for mother. You know that. He thinks of you like her," Arya comments.

"I already know he's strange, for the gods sake," Sansa sighs. "But he sent us three thousand men! That has to be worth something."

"Not particularly." Daenerys' voice interrupts her words. At Sansa's furrowed brow, she continues. "Three thousand men is better than nothing, but remember. From what I've learned, the Vale has 18,000 men, maybe more. And he says that it's because of some sickness that is affecting most of them? That sounds like something serious…but how come it hasn't spread anywhere else? The Vale isn't that far from most places. People pass through it all the time…I have a feeling he's up to something. The betrayer was from the Vale…maybe he was sent in to spy on Jon and Robb."

The quietness was overwhelming. "She has a point," Robb mutters after a moment.

Jon sighs. Indeed, she did. "Well," he begins, "Even so, there's nothing we can do about that. We need to use every man that we have to somehow take back Winterfell…we can keep an eye on them after. From working with them, most of the men have stood by my side. If Petyr had some sort of grudge against me where he doesn't want Robb or me to succeed, then we will handle that once we get our home back. Tormund has already assigned the few freefolk we have remaining to watch over them."

Tormund smiles from where he stood. "Better now with a dragon though."

"I have Rhaegal."

"Ya don't fuckin' use 'im."

Daenerys rolls her eyes and chuckles. "Either way," she continues, "no matter who is watching them now, Jon is right. We need to plan the next steps."

Robb sighs. "I don't know how." He looks back at her. "With the men we have right now, we barely have enough to take on Ramsey. And without the freefolk…it's seeming less likely. We don't even know where Rickon is…and we know that as soon as Ramsey finds out when we will attack he will fucking move Rickon again…"

Jon could see Robb spiraling slightly, so he reaches out and cups his brother's shoulder, trying to calm him. Daenerys gets up and looks at the map on the table. Jon watches her look over slowly, her eyes moving up and down the lines and edges before she suddenly looks up. Her hair falls slightly loose from her braid. "Wait, what did you say before Tormund?"

"About what, queeny?"

"About Jon not using Rhaegal. Is that true?"

"Oh, fuck yeah, it is," Tormund responds. "Haven't used 'im once except to fly to the Wall really today."

Jon sighs. "I don't want to be that, Dany." She turns to him. "I thought about it for a second and yeah, a large part of me wants to take Rhaegal and burn that fucking place to the ground for what he and his men did to ours. I want to make sure that he feels as much pain as possible. But I don't know how that's going to look to the North, and how it'll look for Robb. Or any of us."

"No one said anything about burning," Daenerys answers. "But what if you maybe used Rhaegal as sort of a…distraction? Or maybe the both of us?"

Jon's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"No, no, she has a point," Robb states, going to where she stood at the map. "While I don't think burning down the castle is the way to go, we can use the dragons as a distraction. Sort of like, uh…I don't know how to say it."

"A shock tactic," Jon finally answers, all of the pieces beginning to fit. "That's it." He stands, stepping between them, hands on the map. "If we go to Winterfell at night, they won't expect a battle once the sun drops. Ramsey's men are heavy on bow and arrow. Without the proper light, most of those shots will hopefully not be as accurate. Think about it. We fly in on Rhaegal and Drogon, but instead of burning down the castle, we surprise them. Destroy their wagons. Burn down their weapons. Knock men off the wall. It'll be an explosive force. Just enough-"

"-for the rest of us to come in," Robb continues, smiling a bit at Jon's words. "An ambush. If most of his men are distracted by two giant dragons, we can head in and take out most of his men from the inside out. Take control of the castle. Save casualties on the men we have."

"Wait, wait," Sansa interrupts. "What about Rickon? You don't think that as soon as we break into the castle, Ramsey isn't going to kill him? Or hide him?"

Daenerys glances at where Arya was, and she stands once she sees her look. "I can help with that."

Robb's brow raises. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Remember what the people who did this to me can do?" She points to where the stab wounds were on her body, to which Robb nods. "I'm able to do that…switch faces with people. Take their lives."

Robb instantly looked even more confused than before. "I…excuse me? How the fuck can you-"

"It doesn't matter how. Just know that I can."

Robb looked to Daenerys, who nods. "She does. She's taught all my guards back on my ships the same, as much as she could…we didn't even need to worry about the woman who hurt her. She's talented. Well…in what she needs to do."

Arya shrugs a bit. "I know it's not a normal skill, obviously, but it will help. If I can get the identity of one of his men – maybe steal one of their outfits and faces – I can sneak in and get info on where Rickon is. From there I can try and get him out safely before Jon and Daenerys attack the castle."

"No, wait," Robb instantly states. "You're still little, I-"

"Robb, she's killed people," Jon points out. "She's not a little girl anymore. She got stabbed because of that."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better about sending my little sister out to the dogs to possibly get caught and killed? I don't care what sort of face-stealing she is able to do." Robb shakes his head and sighs. "Arya, I don't know how-"

"You'd be okay with it? That's alright. You don't need to be," she responds. "I don't expect anyone to really believe that I can do it besides Daenerys. She knows my skills the best since she's taken care of me. But if you trust her word, then you can trust mine. All I need is a couple of minutes to kill someone and take their face, and we would be golden for Rickon."

The silence was deafening. Jon was the first one to speak. "If Daenerys believes you can do it, so will I."

Arya smiles at his words and nods, happy to hear it.

"Ay, if a lil' girl can say she can do it, I believe 'er. We got ones younger than 'er learnin' how to slice a deer," Tormund responds.

Davos chuckles and nods. "I believe the young Stark is capable of many things. As long as she is healed."

Arya looks to where Sansa was next, who sighs. "I'm not the hugest fan of sending my little sister off after I just got her back, but if it's what will win our home back and you're confident in it, I will support it."

The younger woman smiles at her sister's words before her eyes finally move to where Robb stood. The eldest Stark lets out a long exhale of air before he lets his shoulders drop. "Arya…I have wondered if you were alive for years. I just…don't want to see you go so quickly. But Sansa is right…we are low on numbers. And we're doing this mainly not just to get our home back but our family as well. I, uh…don't know if I want to see the process though. If you…changing faces, I suppose."

Arya chuckles a bit but nods. "Don't worry, you won't need to."

Jon lets out a long sigh, but this was one of relief. "It sounds like we have a battle plan." He looks over at Daenerys and lets himself smile a bit. "All we needed was a dragon's touch."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. "They have a dragon's touch here already."

"You know what I mean," Jon responds before standing. "Robb, send word to the men outside. We should leave as soon as possible. I don't know how much longer Ramsey will be keeping Rickon alive if he knows we are here."

Robb nods. "Are you and…the queen going to be coming with us?" he asks. Jon notices how he doesn't really struggle this time – it's more like something to get used to. But Jon feels himself smile. He was trying. He really was.

"I believe we should," Jon responds before looking at Daenerys. "What do you think?"

"It will look better if we walk with them instead of fly. Drogon and Rhaegal can follow behind." She squeezes his hand in hers. "Even so, it'll give me time to get to know the men we'll soon be ruling over."

Jon grins at her words. It seemed that every single thing he had been worried about seemed to melt away the moment he saw her beautiful eyes. The world faded out. Only when Robb cleared his throat did Jon turn his head back to them. "How 'bout you two and Arya head off to your chambers? Sansa and I will handle the men for tonight. She's had a long journey."

"I think that's an excellent idea."

* * *

When they arrived back at his chambers, the moment Jon closed the door, he pulls Daenerys into his arms and spins her around, causing her to laugh, before he silences that with a kiss to her lips, one she moans into. When he lets her smaller body touch the ground once more, he pulls back, forehead resting against her own, breathing heavily. " _Fuck,_ I've missed you."

"I've missed you more," she whispers, her hand coming up to cup his cheek, stroking his beard. "I didn't know so much had happened here."

"I know," Jon sighs, taking a step back. He heads over towards the fireplace and starts to light it up. A tiny spark begins to emerge from the stones he uses before it starts to take flight not too long after. Daenerys had removed her cloak, now in a fur-lined dress. "I didn't think we would come back to a massacre…and then everything happened with our men and Olly and…I didn't know what to do. I was lost for a moment. I know that at some point I would have thought of something or Robb would have but…I got so caught up in my mind I…I feel weak."

Daenerys' face falls as he goes to sit next to her. "You aren't weak, Jon." She takes his hands as he moves closer. "So you cried for a couple of moments. Who cares? Leaders grieve all the time. They just don't show it. It's not a crime for that to happen."

"I know," Jon responds, glancing down at the furs below them. "I do…but it doesn't change the fact that I felt like…I wasn't in control of who I am. I fell apart when I needed to be a dragon at my very most and I…I don't know."

Her hands then move up to cup his face, and he sees her smile at him, the same one he had seen all that time ago. "Jon, it's not the end of the world that you showed emotion. It truly isn't. If anything, it makes followers like you more. They don't want to see some cold-hearted ruler. They want to see someone who cares for the wellbeing of innocents. To see someone who will do anything to try and achieve peace. They want someone who is ruthless to the evil but peaceful to the kind. If you shed some tears in front of them, it doesn't matter. Believe me."

Jon smiles a bit at her words, bringing a hand up to cup her own. Their shadows danced against the walls as he did so. "Most of these men might think I'm useless without you now."

Daenerys chuckles gently. "I doubt that. You've done well with the time you were here, as best as you could. You knew coming here as who you are wouldn't end well, even with Sansa and Robb at your side. But there's no harm in showing a united team." She holds his hand after that, bringing it down to her lap. "At a certain point in our journeys, I kept wondering if it would look better for two Targaryen's to help take back Winterfell…your last letter was all that I needed to answer that."

She rests her head against his shoulder and Jon lets out a soft sigh. "I think that would look good as well…I still worry what they will think but…at this point I pay them no mind." She turns her head up to look at him. "Robb wants to win back the North…I have to make it seem like all of this was his idea in front of the Northern lords once we get back the castle, or else no one will follow him again."

Daenerys bites her lip but nods. "I understand…I don't mind, truly. I think having us on his side is better than nothing." She moves again to turn to him. "What about Sansa then? Did you ask her?"

"I proposed the idea," Jon admits. "But it was almost out of thin air that I did so. We were sitting around the fire and it just popped out. I said she didn't need to give me an answer yet but I said it would be nice to know soon."

Daenerys nods a moment later. "Better than her getting married off to someone else."

"Or bargained."

"Or given to someone else like _Ramsey."_

"I don't know if there could be anyone worse than Ramsey."

Daenerys snorts a bit and shakes her head. "Jon, you have met many men on the battlefield, but I have met many off. And trust me, there are much worse – they just don't have the power that Ramsey has." She turns to him and he sees her smile again. "But you are one of the good ones, so don't fear anything. I wouldn't be marrying you soon if I didn't feel that way."

Jon scoffs a bit. "I'd bloody hope I am after all that we're doing here," he chuckles a bit before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her gently into his lap. "You've made me a better man. You know that."

Daenerys smiles softly at his words before wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. He responds with holding her tightly against him, his hands beginning to run up her sides to her neck, pulling her closer. But as his hands started to move against the laces of her dress, she pulls away.

His brow furrows. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No, I…I need to tell you something," she responds, and instantly he could see slight worry evident in her gaze, a nervousness he hadn't seen since they first kissed all that time ago. She stands from where she was on his lap and takes tiny steps, her hands together.

"Dany, I'm sure it can't be that bad," he reassures her. "What is it? Have the Greyjoys left the alliance? Because if they have I swear to the old gods and the new I'll-"

" _Jon,_ " she responds, her voice coming out with a mix of a laugh and a huff. "It's not that. It's not about any of that. I…maybe it's best I just show you."

" _Show me?_ Did Daario hurt you? I'll fuckin-"

" _No,"_ she instantly states, holding her hands out to him to stop him from standing in his anger. "He's in Meereen. He's doing my bidding. He has nothing to do with this conversation."

"…then what is it?"

Daenerys bites her lip slightly again and takes a step back. "Again, I'll…I'll show you. Undo the laces of my dress."

His brow raises. "I thought you _didn't_ want to do that?"

" _Jon,_ just do it."

He shrugs a bit and stands, before letting his fingers quickly undo the laces behind her body. As they become loosened, the thick fur-lined dress begins to fall effortlessly off her body, until it was nothing but a pile on the floor. Jon took a seat back on the bed and fought every instinct in his body not to jump on her because whatever she was talking about was important but _fuck_ was it hard.

He watches as she quickly pulls off her small clothes, leaving her in nothing, her nude body basking in the firelight. He could see the wound behind her back from where the White Walker had hurt her, along with multiple other scars she had received. He still felt horrible for what had happened to her, but after so many times of her saying he didn't need to be, he had relented.

After a moment, she turns, her front facing him, coming over to where he stood. At first, he sees nothing, his brow furrowed in confusion. His hands rest against her naked hips. "Am…I supposed to be seeing something?" he honestly asks.

She chuckles softly. "It's hard to see right now…it's best if you feel."

Daenerys takes his hands in hers and then moves them to rest gently over her midsection, right along her belly. It takes him a moment, trying to process what she was doing until he felt it. And his heart completely stopped. His entire body stilled. He felt nothing but what was there.

Which was a small bump.

He looks up at her with widened eyes, only to be met with a wide grin of joy. "Is…is this real?"

"It is," she whispers. Tears were in her gaze.

"How long?" he breathes out.

"Aemon told me a moon ago…I wanted to wait until I saw you in person to say. Now it's about two and a half-moons. It's barely there but…we're with child, Jon. We're going to be a family."

He could barely move. His eyes were focused on the small swell. Yes, to a normal person who didn't know her body, it would be hard to see. But with him, now that he could feel it, it was there. It was very much there. He feels himself stand, his hands still resting on them. The smile doesn't leave her face.

"W-who else knows?" he asks her, stuttering through his words.

"Only my closest advisors. Arya as well, because she found out with Aemon," she says honestly. "Ser Barristan…he actually suggested doing something to it."

Jon's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well…we're going into war and he doesn't think it's the right time for a child…and he has a point. A valid one. But I just…couldn't. I've wanted this for so long and to have it with you I…I may sound like the stupidest queen alive but I-"

"Don't feel bad for wanting this," he instantly states, his hands moving from her stomach to her face, cupping it in his hands. "We've been _trying_ for this. This is what we wanted…all we need to do is be careful. That's it. I won't let anyone harm you…never." His forehead rests against her own. Tears start to evade as his emotions overwhelm him. "Seven hells, I'm going to be a father."

She lets out a soft laugh of joy. "You are.

"I…I can't believe this," he almost laughs, his smile spreading. Only a little bit ago he had been sobbing in the woods, and now he was joyful amongst his chambers. It was stunning how one piece of news could change everything. "We…fuck, we need to get married soon and then-gods, I-"

"Jon," she says softly, seeing that his thoughts were beginning to override his mind. "Don't worry. Don't think of anything…let's just be here, in the moment. I've been wanting to tell you that for ages."

He lets out a short sigh of relief and smiles again. "You're right." He brings his hands up to her face again and kisses her, a slower one than the embrace they shared before, one that spoke volumes of all the emotions he felt deep inside him, spinning around like a hurricane. "I told you," he murmurs when he pulls back.

"Told me what?"

"I told you that the witch wasn't a reliable source of information."

She laughs, one that was louder than before, one that lit up his insides from all around, and he laughs as well. "I suppose you've won your challenge then."

"I suppose I have," he responds back before lifting her up into his arms and pulling her onto his bed. She lets out a squeal of surprise and laughs as he pins her down, but was quickly cut off by a kiss to her lips, followed by a moan. Her hands begin to tangle in his raven hair before moving down to his furs which were still unfortunately on.

He pulls away for a second, stumbling a bit to remove them, so much so that he trips on the bottoms a bit, making her snicker. But as soon as they were off his body and in a pile on the floor, he pushes himself onto her again, bodies flush against each other, their mouths attached completely.

Gods, he had missed this. Missed her. The feeling of her hands moving up and down his body, his own along her silky skin, running through her silky tendrils of silver hair. It was everything he had dreamed about these last couple of months, and everything he needed right now.

But a thought suddenly comes to him, and he pulls back, breathing hard. Her face was flush at this retrieval, brow furrowed. "What is it?"

"I…is it-um…" He rubs the back of his neck, not knowing how to say this. "Will it…hurt? The child, I mean."

His cheeks turn dark red. Another laugh escapes her and she instantly shakes her head, pulling him back down to the bed. "No, it won't. Trust me," she says softly to him. "If anything, it'll feel even better. Please….I need you. It's been too long."

Jon grins at her words and kisses her again, while his hand reaches down between them to grab at his aching cock, practically begging for her, jumping at the urge. But after a second, she stops him, biting her lip.

"I want to be on top," she says breathlessly.

Jon couldn't even respond, just a simple nod to let her know that he heard her. He moves so that he was on the bottom, and she moves her legs so that she straddles him. His hands rest on her hips as she slowly rises up and then descends down on his cock, almost torturously slow. He lets out a strangled groan as she does so, gripping onto her skin. She moans, a sound he had missed oh so much, as she starts to move, slowly at first and then quicker.

It doesn't take long for them to find a comfortable rhythm, while his hips pushed up into hers in long, powerful strokes while she rode him, taking him as deep as she could go. His hands sunk deeper into the flesh of her behind, watching her face, her mouth slightly ajar, eyes closed, brow furrowed in pleasure while her breasts bounced. It was a beautiful picture that he never wanted to forget.

But what really has him locked on her this time was the fact that it wasn't just them anymore. It wasn't just the two of them coupling out of lust or anything else. It was the fact that their love had created life, right there between them. His hands marveled at it for a moment, still shocked. Something he had never thought he would have. A beautiful woman by his side, a family that would be his own…

It was amazing how fast life changed.

Her eyes open a moment later, locking onto his, a burning passion smoldering between them as his arms drew possessively around her, holding her close to him. "I love you," she breathes, her hands reaching out to stroke his cheeks, brushing against his beard.

He catches her hands in his own and brings it to his lips, kissing it tenderly, his eyes never leaving hers for a single moment. "I love you too," he answers, his voice raw with emotion. "Always."

Their lips meet in a frenzied kiss a moment later, one with a deep, fervent passion that signaled every inch of his body to pound into her, harder, faster, claiming her as his, just as she was doing the same to him. He holds her close by the waist as he could feel her starting to fight around him, just on the brink of finding her own release. She moans loudly as the first wave of her own climax rocks through her, her body trembling in his arms.

He continued to drive into her until he felt his own tingling up his spine, signaling his own climax. He lets out a yell of her name, sounding almost feral to his own ears as it soared through him, his seed shooting into her depths. He holds onto her tightly, groaning against her skin.

The two stay there for a moment, both waiting until fully drained until she collapses against him, her body now slicked with sweat, hair a mess, both breathing the same labored breaths. He falls back on the bed again, taking her with him.

She breaks the silence first. "I missed you so much," she murmurs tenderly, her hand coming up to hold his own.

He responds with a gentle kiss to her forehead, much different from the ones before, while their intertwined hands rest over her stomach. "I missed you more."

"Doubt that."

"You have no idea," he chuckles a bit, turning her to face him. "I was losing my mind without you."

"Well…soon we won't have to be," she says softly, smiling a bit. "Soon I'll be your wife."

"And I your husband," he murmurs before pulling her against him, kissing her again. "I'm counting down the days."

Daenerys lays her head against his chest a moment later. "Who knew Jon Snow was such a romantic?"

Jon snorts. "Took meeting the right woman to get there."

"Are you going to speak poetry to me now?"

"Good gods, no."

And she laughs. And he does as well.

* * *

The next day was a big one, as the army left without much resistance, all of them agreeing with their plan to try and save as many lives as possible. Robb stayed at the helm on Jon's request, saying that it would be better if he commanded them where to go as the future Lord of Winterfell. He had agreed and had hugged his brother tightly for his approval.

The rest of them intermingled with the army. Daenerys and Jon stayed near the back with most of the freefolk, making sure that Drogon and Rhaegal were flying occasionally near them as they followed, talking amongst them. Sansa had come with them this time as well, along with Brienne and Podrick – while Tormund was constantly trying to speak to the tall woman.

It was quite funny to watch. Jon had never seen the wildling man so entranced with a woman. It made sense, though.

Arya had stayed with most of the men as well, and while some weren't so keen to believe her skills after she took down a couple of the soldiers on one of their nights of camping, there were no more questions after that. Davos, being the loyal man he was, stuck by Jon and Daenerys, often telling them of their next moves once Winterfell was one, and who to contact next – specifically the Dornish and the Tyrell's.

Daenerys had said she had sent letters. Jon hoped that they did indeed answer those.

On the terms of her pregnancy, Jon and she had decided to keep it a secret until the battle with Ramsey was won. It wasn't like they didn't want to tell people, but both of them knew that the moment they announced her pregnancy, everyone would be worried/concerned about what would happen next. Whether she would fight, or stay, or be locked away. The last thing they needed was the minds of everyone else focused on them.

By the time they had reached the outskirts of Winterfell, they had decided to stay in the shadows for the time being, staying out in the shadows. Robb and Jon had finalized the rest of their plans, waiting for nightfall to approach so they could carry it out as quickly as possible. Jon had proposed the idea of speaking with Ramsey prior, but Robb had turned that off, saying it would eliminate the element of surprise.

Jon quite honestly agreed with him, but it was mainly because a small part of him had been so used to fighting with honor before…it was better if they did it this way.

At some point, however, as they stood around the fire, waiting for the sun to finally fall behind the horizon, the main leaders sat around, talking, conversing on what was to come. Jon had made him and Daenerys some roasted pigeon to eat – he had proposed something heartier for the young woman but she had refused, saying she wanted to "be treated as anyone else would here."

As they ate, he could hear everyone talking, as if they weren't about to just go off to war. Sansa and Arya were conversing about memories from years before, comparing their own experiences with their father while sipping on the soup that one of their men had made. Tormund and Davos were speaking of their time at Castle Black, with Tormund making eyes at Brienne most of the time – while Podrick would raise his brow at the ginger's advances.

But what actually surprised Jon the most was that Daenerys was easily speaking with Robb, no issues or complaints or anything otherwise. Jon had decided to stay quiet as long as he could, letting the two learn to live with each other. That was something that had been eating away at Jon for as long as he could remember since seeing Robb again.

Would the two of them end up getting along? Or would it end in fire? Right now, it seemed to be the prior, for which he was thankful.

"They really did all of that to you?" Robb's voice speaks up through Jon's thoughts. They had been talking about her time with the Dothraki, and the hereafter of her trying to gain her army.

Daenerys nods gently. "They did. And yet somehow, I stand here." She looks back at him. "It's been an incredible and difficult journey, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. If not for it, I never would have made my way here. I never would have met your cousin."

Jon feels himself smile slightly at her words but keeps his mouth shut.

Robb shakes his head and sighs. "I really misinterpreted you," he mutters.

"Come again?"

"No, I mean-" Robb cuts himself off and turns to look at her. "When I heard of how close you were to Sansa, I was shocked. And when I found out you were to marry Jon, I was even more dumbfounded. All my life I grew up thinking that Targaryen's were…savages. Horrible people. My father never really thought that way, but everyone else did. And their words were always...ingrained into my head. After what happened to our grandfather, I…I never thought to think of what you might have gone through. I feel awful for saying some of the things I've said before…"

Daenerys shakes her head and reaches out, squeezing his shoulder. Jon watches with a curious gaze. "Robb, I don't blame you for what you thought. I really don't. Most people do think Targaryen's are savages. That's why Jon and I are trying so hard to change that. But it can't be changed until people begin to learn the real truth about who we are…that always begins somewhere. For you, that begins now."

Robb smiles a bit as she drops her hand back to her lap. "I suppose…you are right." He sighs and glances back at her. "You think I'll ever be worthy enough to take back my home?"

"I think after this, you'll at least have some men behind you again. As well as the king and the queen," she states softly. "No matter what, you're surely going to be of value again, despite what your head may think. I even believe you'll find someone new once more."

Robb sighs. "I doubt that." He bites his lip and then turns to her. "Honestly…when I met Talisa it was just…a moment of weakness. I gave into that feeling. And I couldn't ever get out. When I lost her…I felt like I had lost a part of myself. I don't know if I could ever get that back."

Daenerys nods quietly. "I understand how you feel. Really." At Robb's raised brow, she continues. "Drogo was a hardened man. It was furiously annoying to try and break through his shell. And while the beginning of our marriage was never kind, I did grow to care and love him, as he did for me. When I lost him, I didn't think I could ever love again. And then I met Jon. And the whole world changed for me…you might find that as well. You never know."

Robb smiles at her words, a smile Jon hadn't seen in a long time. "Thank you, your grace."

Daenerys waves her hand dismissively. "Please, if we're going to be related, call me Daenerys. Leave the formalities for the court."

Robb chuckles. "Alright then, Daenerys."

" _QUEENIE!"_ a sudden boom from Tormund said, interrupting all of them. "Davos doesn't believe a damn word I say when I said ya took down a White Walker. Prove 'im wrong!"

"I didn't say I didn't believe, my word-"

Daenerys laughs. "That's fine, Tormund. Ser Davos, prepare to have your mind blown."

* * *

The sun was gone, the moon had risen, and the stage was set. Arya had hugged her brother tightly before sneaking off with some soldiers to head into the castle, hoping to get the disguise from one of the men. Sansa had gone to many of the men in the Vale to tell them where to go, followed by Robb and Tormund leading their aspects of the army respectively, waiting for the cue to charge.

Daenerys and Jon were resting where they had settled Drogon and Rhaegal not too long before. It was a miracle that no one from Winterfell had seen them, but the couple had been especially persistent in making sure that they were as low to the ground as possible.

Jon was scratching the side of Rhaegal, whispering gently to him before turning to Daenerys, as she settled at the edge of Drogon's wing. "So…you trying to go for all the Starks now?" he quietly quips.

She scoffs. "You can't be possibly jealous that I spoke to Robb, for the gods sake."

"Those violet eyes never lie, Dany," he continues, his voice growing a bit unsteady as he lost his resolve, feeling himself smile. She laughs and shakes her head, coming over to him now.

"Of course. I can't be settled with just one of you. Next thing you know I'll be courting your sister as well."

Jon snickers at her words before wrapping his arms around her, holding her close to him. Her own intertwine around his neck. He sighs gently. "Are you sure that you're…able to do this?" he asks genuinely, his eyes glancing towards where her stomach was. "I don't want you to get hurt. Robb said some of his men scouted out Winterfell before our arrival and that they had these types of machines…sort of like giant arrows."

Daenerys softly nods. "I'm going to be fine, Jon…and if they for some reason have those, we will make sure to try to avoid them. The whole point of this is the element of surprise. If they're not expecting a dragon to arrive, there will be no one there, correct?"

Jon nods slowly at her words, sighing. "True…I just worry, you know that."

"I do. It's why I love you. But I will be fine. I promise you." She leans up and presses her lips to his, one that lingers for a moment before she steps away. "Now…let's finish this the best way we can. Together."

Jon smiles and then nods, before taking a step back. He watches as she climbs onto Drogon easily and takes off towards the highest peak around them. He does the same thing, waiting for the signal from below that Robb would give, letting them know that they were ready.

To which, he flies off, waiting.

* * *

A bit of time passed before they are finally given the go to run with the small light of fire emerging from the forest down below. Jon looks to Daenerys, nodding at her to follow after him. Within seconds, he whispers the words "Sōvegon adere, Rhaīgal," to his dragon.

It doesn't take long for it to register, and soon Rhaegal was off in the sky as quick as an arrow, with Jon directing him towards the castle of Winterfell.

As they approached his old home, memories began to resurface. Some of him playing in the fields with his siblings. Others of training with Robb. Even some of the bickering with Sansa. Talking with his uncle. But as soon as he could see the Bolton banners on the outside of the stone walls, he felt his reminiscent energy become consumed by anger once more.

He says a quick prayer to the gods above and then hears Rhaegal let out a mighty roar. Instantly, he could hear yelling, screaming, and shouting from below. Without a second thought, he says the word that would begin the battle. " _Dracarys!_ "

It doesn't take long before Rhaegal lets out a mighty roar and a stream of fire so beautiful powers from his mouth, hitting the wagons down below. The very sound of the dragon causes the ground to shake. He instantly begins to see some men run away, others begin to gather the banners and get ready. But how could they be ready against a dragon?

He looks to his right soon enough and sees Daenerys do the same thing, bringing down Drogon and raining fire down onto another part of their camp. A part of Jon felt wary about doing so, considering they probably could have used some of their items once they were done with this for their own war, but there was always a new day and a new chance to get more supplies, especially if they won back Winterfell. That was the goal. 

The two of them do the same thing three times, taking turns in different areas of the castle. He did the tower near the front, she the one near the back, making sure not to hit any of the people down below. He did the carriages that held some of their arrows, she did the ones with their weapons. He does the ground close to their tents, hers the ones near the castle. It was an endless swaraj of fire that seemed to go on for ages.

However, soon Jon felt himself still in the sky. At the top of the walls of Winterfell did he just notice that there were indeed platforms built, and on top of them, were ballistas. Arrows that seemed big enough to kill them. He could see a man behind them, trying to wound one up, but Jon quickly makes quick work of that and disposes of it without a second thought. The man jumps for his life as he does so, while the machine goes up in flames.

Fuck, Ramsey had heard the rumor about the dragons. That was enough for him to worry about Daenerys.

He flies high as he hears a battle cry, turning Rhaegal quickly to see Robb and the army storming in towards the castle. The Ramsey men were so caught up in their flames that most of Robb's men were able to slip through easily, starting to tear apart the ones that were outside while a good portion of them breached the castle almost instantly.

Jon could see his brother fighting down below, and for a moment, he forgets about what had happened before all this. Right now, he remembered Robb as the warrior he was before all of the world had gone to shit. And now, he was sure that the men could see the same.

Many of the men collide against each other. From where Jon was stationed above, he could see both sides have causalities as weapons flew everywhere, but most were wearing the Bolton's colors. He could see some of the archers from Ramsey's men begin to draw their bows and let go, some heading up to where Jon was flying, but Rhaegal easily lights those on fire and sends them back down below.

Suddenly, he hears a cry from Drogon and quickly turns to see the dragon land with a thud. Jon instantly races over and sees Daenerys coming off, her brow furrowed in worry as she looked at an arrow that had pierced Drogon's side from one of the ballista's. "It was so dark, I could barely see them," Daenerys says quickly. "I got him down before it could really hurt us but those fuckers shot quickly."

"It's alright," he reassures. "Let's get it out – _duck!_ "

She quickly does so as Jon turns. Some fool of a Bolton soldier had run forward, swinging his sword, but Jon had unsheathed Blackfyre as quickly as he could and sliced it through his head. It practically split in two. The blood spurts onto the ground. He turns back to Daenerys.

"On three – one, two, _three_!" The two of them yank the arrow out of the dragon's side. Drogon lets out a yell of pain before growling at them, but he didn't fear the beast. He knew he was only peeved about the gash in his side. Jon helps Daenerys up to the dragon. "Get up high in the sky so they don't see you again. Take Rhaegal with you. All of Robb's men are inside now. I'm going to head in there with him."

" _Jon-_ "

"I can't kill Ramsey like this. I _need_ to see him," Jon insists.

"I'm not just leaving you here!" she exclaims. "I-" Her words quickly cut off as she pushes Jon to the side. Before he could even ask what happened, she had removed Dark Sister from the sheath along her side and had held it tightly before swinging it through the head of a Bolton soldier as they charged at them. The blood spurts onto her face.

"Thanks," he breathes out, to which she nods and lowers her sword. "Dany-"

"I came here to help you win! I'm not going to fly off and-"

"Daenerys, please, find Arya and Rickon and get to safety. You did your part…wait until I give the go. For the child. For _me._ This isn't your place here, not right now. I need you _safe._ Drogon can keep you safe as long as you are high enough in the sky."

Daenerys' eyes change once he says that, and after a moment she lets out a reluctant sigh but nods, before heading off into the sky with Drogon. Jon speaks to Rhaegal quickly to fly off, before the dragon does so, heading behind his brother.

Jon watches until they were gone, disappearing into the dark clouds in the sky, before quickly turning and rushes towards the castle, Blackfyre in hands.

He runs into some men as he does so, but pays most no mind, cutting all of them down as he does. A man that was on the ground had sprung up and got him in his side but Jon quickly kills him with a slice to the gut, before doing the same to the belly of a second man charging at him. Another valley of arrows rain down and one just scrapes his shoulder. The pain sears through his skin but he pushes onward.

He cuts down another man and rushes through the gates now, passing some of the Vale soldiers as he did so. He slams Blackfyre into the stomach of another soldier now, seeing another blade meet his on the opposite end. The Bolton soldier dies as he falls, and Jon sees that it was Robb on the other end.

"Well hello there!" Robb yells out as he slices back at another soldier. "Thought you were in the sky!?"

"I was! Drogon was hurt!" Jon yells back, cutting another Bolton into the grass, stabbing him several times. "I sent Dany off. Wanted to face the cunt here and now." He brings Blackfyre back through the head of another Bolton soldier. The courtyard begins to look less and less. "The distraction worked. Most of his men have retreated or are dead!"

Robb was breathing heavily, turning towards another soldier. "If you're looking for Ramsey, I saw him near the cells! I think he ran off to fetch Rickon!"

Jon lets out a muffled grunt as he kills one last soldier, feeling something slice into his back. He lets out a yell of anger and kills the man that did that, seeing his head fall clean off his body. His skin begins to crawl with blood along the edges of his armor.

"Are you alright?" Robb quickly asks.

"I'm fine," Jon grunts before turning towards the cells. "You have the rest of this handled?" Robb gives him a steady nod. "Good. I'm going to end this."

Jon holds Blackfyre tightly in his hands, stepping through pools and bodies of blood, moving through his men the best he could. Most pushed him to the side but there was nothing that could stop him at this moment. He wanted to make sure that he tore into this man's neck. That he ended as horribly as he could.

He would make sure of it now that this would be _over._

* * *

He goes to the cells. Nothing. He goes through the castle, butchering men as he did so, saving the innocent ones as well, nothing. He doesn't see a single sign of the Bolton bastard until he reaches the trees from beyond in the Godswood, where there were several Bolton men, waiting.

And there, standing in the middle, was Ramsey, that crazed look in his eyes, but ever the planner, staring him down. "Well, look what we have here," the man laughs. "Wish we could have met under better circumstances, you and I."

"Shut your disgraceful mouth," Jon snaps. "You have no right to this land."

"Oh, you are such a hypocrite," Ramsey chuckles. The yells of his soldiers from before echo in the night. "We aren't exactly different, you and I."

"Respectfully disagree."

"No, you see, you're the one who is wrong here," Ramsey instantly responds. "We both grew up as bastards. With nothing to our names and everything to prove. Now, we are where we both are after working hard to achieve it. And you're taking me on even though you've made some of the same decisions I have to take power."

Jon's grip tightens on Blackfyre. "You're right on one thing." He lowers it only for a second. "We did both grow up bastards, with nothing to lose…but unlike you, I was never who I thought I was."

"I know. You're ' _Jaeharys Targaryen'_ or whatever the fuck your name is today," Ramsey mocks. Jon feels his blood start to boil. "Even if you are truly a Targaryen, you were never meant to be one. You are and always will be a bastard in my eyes."

"Fine then. Even if I am a bastard to you, it's no use. Even if I was one, I never would have made the decisions you have made. I never would have taken over land that was never mine. I never would have _killed my own father_ in order to gain the seat of my house. I did it the right way to gain honor…until I found out who I truly was. Now, nothing is holding me back."

"Except my men right here."

"Gods, can you ever stop talking?" Jon asks, his patience withering. "Look at your men! Most are dead! Your supplies and food are burning! And yet you still stand there and think you'll come out of this?!"

Ramsey raises his brow in a challenging matter. "Once we kill the dragon. We already nearly killed one. A dragon on the ground will be quite easier."

Jon holds his sword steadily in his hands. "You might have shot one but killing a dragon is no easy task. And you will surely not kill me."

Ramsey chuckles and then takes a step back. "End him," he commands. One of his soldiers tries to step forward, but a second one – one that stood right next to Ramsey – suddenly takes the soldier that attempts to hit Jon and takes out a knife, slitting their neck.

Jon stares in shock but doesn't let it phase him too much, as he brandishes Blackfyre and swings the sword around as quickly as the men started to pile against him. The first one he parry's their attack and hits them in the stomach. As he yanked the sword out from their skin, he used the momentum to bring it into the side of another.

The last man swings for his head and he ducks, before quickly swinging out his foot under his leg. The soldier falls to the ground and Jon sends Blackfyre into his head, killing him instantly. He quickly turns his head to see the soldier that had killed the previous man with two other bodies on the ground, his sides sprayed with blood.

Ramsey had taken out his own sword now. "What is the meaning of this?!"

The soldier turns to him, and only then does Jon realize who it was. They were of a shorter stature, but as soon as their hands went to their face, everything made sense. Within seconds, the skin was removed, and the face of Arya stark was revealed. "You never mess with a dragon's cousin."

Ramsey stared, dumbfounded. "H-how is this possible? You-he-"

"Something you will never come to find out."

Jon felt himself chuckle at the young man's shock. "See, we have tricks up our sleeves, just as you have," he chastises, turning to Ramsey who took a single step back, his gaze returning back to the dragon king. Jon turns to Arya. "Did you get Rickon out? Where is Daenerys?"

"I did. He's with Daenerys right now near the edge of the Godswood. They are both okay."

"Is Drogon alright?"

"He's surviving."

" _You_ were the man who let him out?!" Ramsey suddenly exclaims. Arya turns her gaze to him with a smug grin on her face. "How? You're just a-"

"If you dare say child I will slit your neck where you stand," Arya responds. "But if that is what you're questioning, yes, I did get him out, under your own guise, because I refuse to let any more of my family die. I already lost my mother and father…I'm not going to let my younger brother have the same fate." She holds her dagger in her hands steadily. "Your banners are falling. Your world is ending. The Starks are taking back Winterfell. You are the only weak link left."

Ramsey has a flicker of fear in his eyes, but Jon notices he replaces it instantly with confidence, as much as Jon knew it was a front for his nerves. "I doubt that a girl like you will be able to kill me. My men have always been easily swayed if one of their own looks like them. The moment I kill you I'll take your sister again."

Arya moves forward angrily but Jon pushes her back. She looks at him in surprise. "No. He's mine." His younger sister quietly nods, moving a step away as Jon turns to him. "This all could have been avoided so easily. We could have had one-on-one combat. We could have done this without all your men dying…but sadly, you decided to kill mine. Now, I must end yours. As well as your life. You have no men to fight your battles for you any longer. Face me."

Ramsey holds his sword tightly in his hands, glaring him down. "I refuse to fall to you."

"Then bring your strength forward, _bastard._ "

He hadn't realized how different that word sounded on his tongue now. For years it was a word that he held in disdain, a stain that was on his character that he could do nothing about, and while he tried to prove to many others that he was worth more than what they all bargained for, it was still there. But now, he could see the anger it brought others, especially Ramsey the moment he said that no matter if he was legitimized now or not.

And Jon intended to use that to his advantage.

While Arya stood to the side, he dodged any hit that Ramsey tried to plant at him until one actually did budge against the edge of Blackfyre. After that, Jon responded to each attack, one after the other. He had to admit, while Ramsey was about his height, he definitely had more speed over Jon. While he had Blackfyre, a Valyrian sword that was known to be lighter and a bit more effective than regular swords, he was starting to feel the effects of the battle. Before, it had been a pure animalistic need to try and kill the man, but now that Jon had met his match in a fighter, the gashes started to ache, and his head was beginning to hurt.

The man was quick enough where he did eventually get one hit on Jon's shoulder, where a cut from the battle before sat, now bleeding more. Jon cringes slightly but pays it no mind. The two of them circle each other for a moment, neither making a move, breathing heavily from dodging and attacking. Ramsey smirks at him.

"What is it, Targaryen?" he asks him, his voice breathless but the sneer clear within it. "Afraid that killing me will take away what little honor your name has?"

Jon snorts. "You wish."

"Ah, I see. Well, once I slam this sword through that pretty head of yours, I'll make sure that name gets dragged through the dust as it should be," the man snarls. "I may be dangerous but at least my house isn't known for burning people alive."

"No, just flaying them," Jon mutters, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "You can say all that you want. You will not win this."

"Hmm, and what else shall I take when I win, huh?" Ramsey asks, his smirk turning into one that almost spreads wide across his cheeks. He was testing Jon. "Maybe your sister again. Lock up this traitor over here. While I could kill her I'll obey a word of the battle for the lovely man that I am…or perhaps that dragon whore of yours."

Jon's hands instantly tighten and his eyes narrow.

"Yes, maybe kill the Stark girl and marry her. She'd make a fine wife, a good pair, her and I. The power I would hold. Tell me, Targaryen, does the top match the bottom?"

That breaks him. His rage he had kept within for most of this fight was out. He quickly swings Blackfyre as hard as he could and Ramsey parry's the move. As soon as his sword drops slightly, he goes for Jon's throat, but the dragon king ducks under another hit, slamming his body into the side of Ramsey. His hair comes undone from the band that had held it back, falling into his eyes and sticking to the blood from his forehead.

It knocks Ramsey off his balance and his sword is flown from his hands. He quickly tries to grab it again, scrambling his feet, but Jon grabs him by the back and practically throws him to the ground. His body hit the dirt with a grunt, but Jon doesn't give him any time to stand. He gets down on his knees and punches Ramsey across the face.

" _That_ was for hurting and raping my sister," he snarls. Another punch. " _That_ was for stealing our home." A third punch. " _That_ was for my men you slaughtered." He hears a crack with the fourth. " _That_ was for _Olly."_ The fifth one came, and then the sixth, and the seventh and the eighth, until the man was practically unconscious, but his eyes still held that same hatred from before, that same amount of disdain and madness that he had seen.

And then, he feels himself drain slightly, his hands bloodied, his body relaxing and leaning away from the beaten Bolton. This man was _pathetic._ He had done so much harm to so many people, one of which was one of his closest family members. And here he laid, still laughing dazed as if his men had any chance of winning.

"I'm not going to kill you," Jon finally mutters, standing up. Arya's eyes widen.

"Are you _joking,_ Jon?!"

"Ha," Ramsey chuckles weakly. Jon could see blood in the man's eyes. "I knew you weren't…tough enough."

"Trust me, that's not the case," Jon responds, finally standing from where he knelt and wiped his bloodied hands off on his trousers beneath him. "If I could, I would drag you to where our dragons are and cut you up to make you suffer, before burning you alive. For all I know that can still happen." His hand comes around the cuff of his shirt, yanking the beaten up man. "But that is not my call. I'm going to save you for Sansa."

He sees the man's eyes widen slightly. Jon smiles a bit at his reaction.

"Ah, so now that you are nearly dead, you are scared of her? You should be. Because I'm sure she will make sure you die in the cruelest way possible. However, because I am not her, that will be entirely up to what she wants. For now though, I can sit here and be perfectly fine with knocking you out."

And then, with one more punch to his face, he effectively shuts the man up in seconds, body going limp, eyes shutting. Jon lets Ramsey's body drop as he groans slightly, standing up and holding the gashes that were along his skin. Arya comes to his side.

"I really thought you might let him live, not going to lie."

Jon snorts. "Trust me…he was the first man dead on my list." He looks down at her. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know…you were always the honorable one out of all the Stark siblings."

Jon chuckles a bit. "I'm not a Stark though, am I?" He smiles a bit and then leans down, kneeling to her height. Even as grown as she was, he still needed to get down a bit to go eye to eye with her. "But despite what I've done, it is you I'm proud of."

Arya's eyes widen slightly, and a little smile comes across her lips. "Really?"

"Really. I mean, I never thought of my baby sister taking someone's literally identity, somehow sneaking in and getting them out, and then acting as a spy before easily killing three men…I don't know what you learned while we were separated, but thank the Gods for it." He rests his hands on her shoulders. "I know that your mother was never too fond of you fighting, and your father wasn't the biggest fan either, but know that I'm _incredibly_ proud of you, Arya. You're a true warrior."

Arya smiles brightly at him and then jumps up, hugging him tightly. Jon chuckles as he takes the younger woman into his arms, holding her tightly. Memories of the last time he had held her like this, long ago before he had left for the Wall flashed in his mind. Oh how far they had come.

"Thank you, brother," she whispers as he lowers her back to the ground.

"You're welcome," he responds, squeezing her shoulder. At that moment, he hears a loud roar from above, and the two fighters look above to see Rhaegal flying high above, before landing squarely in a clearing of trees. On top, Jon could see Daenerys, along with an unfamiliar figure behind her. Only when he stepped closer did he realize who that was. It was _Rickon._

Gods, he had gotten tall.

"Rickon!" he yells out. Daenerys comes off of Rhaegal first and helps Rickon off, who stumbles and practically falls to the ground if not for Jon catching him. "It's been years, hasn't it? Are you alright?"

"Other than the fear I just experienced from flying high off into the sky? Yeah, all good," the boy's voice cracked before he looks between Arya, him, and Daenerys. "I feel like there's much that I don't know about…uh, Lord Targaryen."

Jon shakes his head at Rickon's awkwardness. "Don't call me that. I'm only happy that you are alive. We are still siblings despite blood." He hugs the young boy tightly, seeing how he clung to Jon. At that moment, Jon could tell how happy he was that they were there. For years, he didn't think Rickon was alive. He didn't think any of them were alive.

And Jon was quite positive that if he didn't send Arya in to find Rickon, then Ramsey would have killed him easily once they attacked. That mission was more important than anything that had happened here, and he knew it.

When Rickon pulled back, Jon ruffled the young boy's unmanageable mop of hair. At that moment, he could hear cheers coming from within the walls of Winterfell. The battle was over. They had won.

"Arya," Jon continues. "How about you bring Rickon back to the courtyard? Let him see Robb again. I'll stay out here with Daenerys for a bit."

Arya nods and takes her brother's arm. "Wait." Rickon turns to Jon. "Thank you…brother. Strange to say that still knowing who you are…but thank you."

Jon shakes his head. "There is nothing to thank. You are family. There was no way we were letting you get killed by this arse." He kicks the side of the unconscious Ramsey.

Rickon snickers a bit and nods. "True. Still…you and Robb really saved my own arse. Thanks."

Arya rolls her eyes a bit. "Alright, you can stroke his ego more later. I'm the one who saved you," she states before pushing him forward. "Leave the lovebirds alone."

"I was going to thank you too!" Rickon exclaims as they walked away. Jon smiles as he sees them go through the trees before disappearing beyond the Walls. He lets out a soft sigh and turns to where Daenerys was standing quietly, watching the Stark siblings reunite.

It was amazing how even with dirt and blood against her skin, she still looked just as beautiful as the day he met her. But as soon as she sees him fully though, her expression of sweetness changes to one of concern as her fingers gently start to touch the wounds to his body, looking at the gashes that had seeped with blood from him storming through the men before.

"Seven hells," she whispers. "How are you standing? All of these wounds look like they hurt horribly."

"They do," he responds, feeling himself cringe a bit as he moves his shoulders now. "Adrenaline? Don't know. Hurts like a bitch now." He sees Daenerys grabs Blackfyre that had fallen from his hands, before heaving it into its sheath so he wouldn't have to, letting out a soft grunt as she did so.

"Then we should get you back to the castle and bathe you – let you rest. Gods, some of these might be infected, this is-"

He doesn't let her finish though, as his arms snake around her middle and pull her forward, letting himself kiss her again, a kiss that was very much needed after the night they just experienced. There was a mixture of flavors. He could feel his own blood on his tongue and could feel some cuts along her skin, but the passion and tenderness that he experienced with each embrace with her were still there.

When he pulls away, she lets out a soft moan and smiles up at him, the concern in her eyes melting away like the snow around them. "What was that for?"

"I'm just happy," he admits tenderly. "And you're alright? And the child?"

"Perfectly fine."

"What about Drogon?"

"He's okay…hurting, but alright. I took Rhaegal here because I wanted to let him rest. Turns out he will still allow me to ride him, thank the gods." She lets her hands drop to his arms and her eyes glance towards where Ramsey was. "I wonder who told Ramsey…I'm sure he heard about _us_ from rumors but what…how did he come up with those machines? Do you think…someone had plans ready?"

Jon sighs. "I'm not sure. It's something we'll ask him before his death. When Sansa decides that, we'll inquire."

"That was sweet of you to let her decide what to do…she will appreciate that, trust me," Daenerys says softly, taking his hand.

"I know…honestly, she'll be happy just to have her home back. That was the goal…and now, we do." There were more cheers coming from the walls. In the distance, he could see the Bolton banners getting taken down, and the Stark banners taking their place once more. He feels himself smile again before turning back to her. "…we did it. We actually did it. Somehow... _fuck,_ I'm exhausted. _"_

Daenerys smiles back at him, her hand coming up to stroke his cheek. "You've done well, my dragon." She stands up on her tiptoes again and presses her lips to his once more, a soft peck that gave Jon the tiniest bit of energy to hug her close to him again. As she pulls away, she glances back towards the body of Ramsey. "Now, how about we head back to the courtyard and get some of the men to lock him up, and we go and wash up? I think we deserve a bit of a break."

Jon lets out the longest sigh he had been holding, but this time it was an exhale of relief. The best feeling he'd had in quite some time. "I'd appreciate that much."

"Then let us leave," she says softly, taking his hand in hers before quietly heading back to the courtyard, moving slow as to not irritate his wounds more. But all Jon could think as they walked through the snow was one thing.

' _We did it. We have Winterfell once more.'_

And now _that_ was a wonderful, amazing thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Alright everyone I changed the Valyrian sword part haha thank you for your comments so much. Honestly, there are keen little facts that I don't know about the show or the series that I sometimes forget, so please feel free to let me know about this stuff a lot more often. It really helps me as a writer! 
> 
> And Winterfell is back to the Starks. 
> 
> A big thing I wanted to change in the battle was honestly the confrontation between Ramsey and Jon. It was just so quick in the show when I wanted a full-out battle with Ramsey's taunting and everything else and ugh I'm so happy that I did it here. The battle itself was fun to write too because it was so different from the show version, so I was genuinely enjoying it. Your comments also really helped with the warfare aspect of this chapter, so thank you all for helping a girl out who's not necessarily good when it comes to this kind of stuff haha
> 
> Please let me know what you all though of this chapter in the comments, as they always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters for all of you. It has been so much fun writing this and you all have brought joy back into my life in a time where it's been hard to find joy, and your comments have seriously made my life so much better and I love reading all of your suggestions and theories and everything in-between, so thank you for being fantastic - you are all awesomely amazing! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you would like to join us on our little story, and I will see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a great day!
> 
> Next up: The Targaryen's figure out where to go next. A hierarchy is determined in Winterfell. And news is spread throughout the castle.


	27. The North Remembers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winterfell rebuilds, a Bolton is dealt with, and the future of the North is determined - along with news received from the capital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I only just realized that it's been a year since I've started writing Jonerys stories. What a crazy ride it has been. Thank you all for being with me on this journey. I've loved every second of it. 
> 
> And translating to that, thank you all for the great response on the last chapter! I'm sorry it took a little longer to get this one out but I'll go into detail with that in the authors note at the end. Even so, I'm so thankful for all of your comments and I've loved hearing what all of you have to say, so thank you so much for being amazing readers and commentators! 
> 
> Here we go again - I hope you enjoy!

_Jon_

"Take it slow, now."

Those were the words that were repeated to him multiple times. The walk back to the castle of Winterfell was a long one, but a walk that needed to be made. The last thing Jon needed was to give in to the wounds he had received during the battle and collapse in the middle of the snow. But luckily for him, he had Daenerys at least aid him until they got to the courtyard. Then a couple of his men helped him get back to a chamber, where he sat near the window, watching.

The courtyard was filled with blood, something they knew would need to be cleaned as soon as possible as to not stain the already soiled cobblestone beneath them. Even so, from where Jon had sat, watching easily, he had seen them begin to move the bodies of the men out to be burnt and given proper rites to be sent off to whatever what was beyond this world, even if Jon didn't see anything.

He had seen men help others up, aid even their enemies in their injuries, and guide them to where they can be taken care of. He had seen Tormund helping some of the fighter freefolk up, making sure that they had all their arms and legs and they were still alive, before giving them a solid punch on the back – Tormund's way of showing his appreciation.

He could see Davos speaking to some of the younger recruits of the Bolton's that still lived, the ones that didn't have much choice in who they fought for, making sure that they were okay. Most of them seemed to be terrified Jon or Robb would execute them, but Jon had never been that way for people like them. Sure, he would kill their leaders in a heartbeat, but the world was cruel and sometimes people were dragged into shit that they didn't want.

Shit, look at what happened to him? He didn't want to be Lord Commander at the time. Sure, it had led him to _here,_ but that had taken a lot of misery and battles to get to it. People needed to be given that second chance if they deserved it. And, if the young recruits were correct in their thinking, they would get the chance to fight for what was right in the war for the living.

Jon had told Robb about his confrontation with Ramsey, and he and a couple of his men went out into the Godswood to capture him and make sure he was all tied up in the dungeons, where the bastard belonged. While Jon rested, he thought about all the men he had lost, all because of Ramsey and his twisted ways. The men of the Night's Watch that had remained, Edd, _Olly…_ all those innocent children, the men and women of the freefolk, all because Ramsey wanted control.

And now, all this bloodshed.

Jon made a promise to himself then and there, that no matter what, he would never let the need for power get to his head. He knew what he and Daenerys were to do. He knew what they were planning. But the moment it became the sole purpose of living, where someone would be willing to kill innocents for that…that was where he drew the line.

"Jon?"

He turns his head and sees the door open. In comes Daenerys, but he noticed that she had put her hair back into a tight braid to shield it from the blood from before. There was dirt along the edges of her cheeks from where she had tumbled earlier. But she still looked as beautiful as ever.

This. _Her._ She was his purpose. She and the child that laid beneath her skin. He could lose everything. His titles, his name, the throne, all that they had worked towards, but at the end of the day, as long as he had her, he would die a happy man.

"I received some medicine from some of the freefolk down below," she says softly as she approaches him. "Here, let me help you." Her gentle hands attempt to remove the armor and garments he had on covering his chest without harming him too much, but even so, he still felt himself cringing on a couple of occasions as it sailed past his wounds. She sighs. "I'm sorry it took so long…I was trying to help some of the others get back up. I assumed someone was working on you but one of the men told me you were only resting and-"

"It's alright," Jon chuckles a bit. "You don't need to defend your need for helping someone. All that matters is that you're here now." She smiles a bit at his words before he watches as she pours some water and what seemed to be some sort of wound liquid onto a clothe, going to wash out his injuries.

As she does so, he makes sure to keep his face straight, even though each of the hits had really begun to sink into his body. He would need to rest for a couple of days, that was for sure. It was quiet between the two of them for a couple of minutes, the only sound in the room the crinkling of the fire one of the men had drawn up, and the sound of her clothe going across his wounds. After some time, however, she does speak. "It's moments like this I miss Meereen."

Jon raises an eyebrow at her as she moves the clothe away, reaching into a bag to grab what looked like a needle and thread. _Damn,_ now this was going to hurt. He swallows his pride as he feels the needle pierce his skin only a second later. "Why do you say that?" he asks, trying to distract himself.

"It's fucking cold up here."

He laughs at the sudden curse and then holds his side in pain immediately after. She stills him and then quickly speaks.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"It's not your fault," he manages to get out, letting out a deep breath before turning to her. "I only wasn't expecting you to say that." He relaxes again in the chair he was in, letting her return back to what she was doing. "Well…hopefully soon we'll be somewhere much warmer than here."

She hmms in agreement before he sees her violet eyes look up to search his own. "Now that Robb has Winterfell now…what's going to happen with the other Stark siblings?"

Jon sighs a bit and lets his head hit the back of the chair he was in. "We will figure that out in a bit…I'm assuming Rickon is going to stay here with Robb…but I'm not entirely sure where Sansa and Arya stand." He glances back at her. "Do you know if Sansa will be here soon? I know Arya is below aiding in some of the clean-up."

"She and the others should be arriving in Winterfell soon…when she comes we can figure out what to do with Ramsey."

Jon leans up a bit as she finishes up one of the wounds, while her hands now move to another one at the edge of his arm. "I think Rickon should have a say too." Daenerys raises a light eyebrow at him. He nods. "Sansa may have been abused to shit by Ramsey but Rickon was his prisoner too…I can only imagine what the young boy has seen. He deserves to have his voice heard for how Ramsey will die. Gods know he probably won't get much in this life now that Robb has returned."

Daenerys nods quietly, her eyes focused on his wound, but he could tell she was still listening to him. "He's doing alright…had some questions when I first picked him up but…he seems like a capable young boy."

Jon smirks a bit and glances at her fully. "He was screaming while atop Rhaegal, wasn't he?"

"Completely."

He feels himself chuckle – this time lightly, mind his body – and he sees her smile as well. He looks at her stitching and his brow raises a bit. He remembered when she had been hurt at Hardhome and he had done a _horrid_ job of stitching her. She still had the scar because of it. But hers were evenly done and not a single stitch out of place. "How did you learn to do this so well?" he asks her gently.

Daenerys was silent for a moment, her hands finishing up one last knot on one of his wounds before she lets them drop down to her lap. "When I was younger…before I met Khal Drogo, Viserys would often get into fights with people who questioned who he was or whatever power he held…he was smaller than most and got hurt a lot. I had to deal with the fallout, and when it happens more than once, you might as well learn." She grabs another item from her bag and Jon sees that it was a bandage to wrap around his sides. "Of course staying with the Dothraki for however long I did, wounds and injuries were a staple. If you didn't get hurt, you weren't considered strong. But it wasn't a waste of time to learn how to treat the bare basics…and I'll never let someone else touch someone I love again."

"What do you mean?" Jon asks her.

Daenerys tightens the bandage around his side and sighs. "The last time I let someone else try and heal someone I cared about, they ended up becoming a vegetable." _Ah. Drogo._ "And because I love you more than anyone I've ever met, I'm not going to let that happen to you."

"Dany…"

"Not again." She puts her clothe away. "You can call it paranoia but that's how I feel."

He could see her closing in on herself, but he wasn't trying to shame her for her feelings. Not by any means. He instead reaches over and pulls her close to him. "Hey, look at me," he whispers to her, barely loud enough for her to hear. But she does, and she turns her eyes back to him, the same violet eyes he had fallen in love with. "It's going to take a lot more than some witch to kill me. We already proved she's not the best with her information."

Daenerys rolls her eyes. " _Jon._ "

"I only jest," he snickers a bit before bringing a hand up to rub her back. "I understand why you feel that way. It's not paranoia. You've been through so much in your young life, as have I. You're trying to be careful. I don't blame you. Your feelings are valid." His hand moves to stroke her cheek. "If I went through the same experience, I'd be doing the same thing. And besides, there's no other person I'd want cleaning my wounds than my own warrior queen."

He sees her cheeks turn red at his compliment, but the smile that adorns her face was well worth it. Her hands take his and she sighs softly. "I miss everyone." She turns to look at him. "I miss Ser Barristan and Aemon. I miss Greyworm and Missandei…even Tyrion to an extent," she chuckles a bit before that same look comes over her eyes once more. "I miss our dragons. And I miss Ghost. I want to be with them again...and I want you there."

"I know," he says softly. "I miss everyone too, and soon we will reunite with them. Once we settle out our debts here, we'll sail off into the sky on Rhaegal and Drogon. The North will be behind us until we are forced to return. We'll be with our little dragons again. We can finally wed." She smiles tenderly as soon as he says that. "It's only a matter of time, and it _will_ be soon."

Daenerys nods gently before standing. "I know…I'm just an impatient woman, you know this."

"Gods, do I," he mutters. She raises an eyebrow at him and he chuckles. "I know with _love,_ Dany." His queen rolls her eyes before she grabs her fur from the floor. She had come in so quickly she hadn't even minded where she threw it.

"I'll let you rest for a bit and inform you when Sansa arrives," she says to him gently, coming over to help him to a bed. He didn't even know whose room this used to be. He was only happy to be sitting near a fire.

"Wait," he says quietly, reaching out and taking her hand. "Something's been bothering me for a little bit. I have to ask you."

Daenerys raises her brow at him but takes a seat next to him on the bed. "Ask away."

"When Drogon was hit…it was dark out. I know that. So seeing those ballista's would have been hard. I was focused on the men and the rest of Robb's army. But…how is it that you had maneuvered so well on Drogon but you were hit by him? I've seen you avoid things like that in the past. You could have…I know that you said you didn't see it but that…that could have ended horribly, Dany."

She was silent for a moment, her eyes trained on the floor. He could see the embarrassment in her gaze the moment he brought it up. Truly it had been on his mind for a while, ever since she was hit, but he had pushed that down for the sake of the battle and getting himself cleaned up. But now that it was just the two of them, he needed to ask.

"I…was being an idiot. That's what it was." She looks back to him, biting her lip for a split second before speaking once more. "I had a thousand things going through my mind at once. I was thinking of you and how this…this was sort of your first battle doing something like this that was a real threat…I was thinking about the future, the child…I wasn't aware of my surroundings. It terrified me when it happened and I…I know it was a horrid decision but…Gods, Jon, I just can't imagine losing you. It terrifies me."

He could see the change in her eyes, the confidence he had seen minutes before change to fear, the tears that threatened to fall. He instantly wraps an arm around her, holding her hand close to his heart. "Do you feel this?" he asks her softly, to which she nods. "That heart once stopped, and yet here I stand, alive. I know that the reason I was brought back wasn't because of my namesake or the throne or whatever…it was for _you._ My heart beats for _you._ No matter what happens to me, it will forever do so."

Daenerys smiles a bit as she wipes away a stray tear that escapes her eye. "I thought you weren't a poet?"

"I'm not, but I try," he quips a bit, causing her to chuckle softly. "Even so, you don't need to worry about me in those moments. Right now, you're in the early stages. You can still move around normally. You can still do things before, but you need to do them safely. You _need_ to make sure you and the child are the first priority. Don't worry about me during these battles or whatever…I only care about you, and what comes after that. I've taken plenty of hits in my life but the one hit I can't take is losing you, you understand me?"

She nods at his words, letting out a soft sigh of relief before squeezing his hand. "I understand," she whispers before standing. Her look of vulnerability leaves a moment later, replaced by her queenly expression. "I should return back to the courtyard, make sure everything is going as planned…you rest. It will look better if Robb does most of the clean-up here anyway." She presses her lips to his in a chaste kiss, one that felt far too quick for him. "Sleep. You need it. I'll be here when you awaken."

Jon nods softly before letting her hand go. And once she did end up closing the door, sleep came far quicker than it ever did before.

* * *

When Sansa arrived that night, just as the sun was about to set on their first day at retaking Winterfell, she had run into the arms of her siblings. Jon had witnessed her give the tightest hug to Rickon he had ever seen, followed by Arya and Robb. And, once she was done, she moved that on over to Jon, and one for Daenerys as well.

"I can't believe it," she had whispered when she moved away from all of them. "You all did it...we have our home back." There were tears that were falling down her cheeks, but Daenerys had wiped them away for her.

"Those better be tears of joy," the dragon queen warns her.

"Trust me, they are," Sansa responds before taking a deep, calming breath, turning to where Robb stood. "What are the casualties? What's happened since then? Where's…you know who."

Robb chuckles a bit at her words before glancing around. "On our end, it's not as bad as you would expect, but we had a couple of causalities. Nothing incredibly major. Some from Bear Island and others from the Reeds but we did most of the carnage to the Bolton men. As for Ramsey…Jon took care of him."

Jon nods towards where the dungeons were. "By 'took care' he means beat him to a bloody pulp," he explains quietly as Sansa turns to him. "I didn't want to kill him. I wanted you and Rickon to have a say in that."

Sansa's brow raises in surprise, as does Rickon. The younger boy was the first to speak. "Me? But-"

"Just because Sansa was abused doesn't mean that he didn't do anything horrible to you," Jon answers his question before he even asks it. "You deserve the chance to speak as well."

Rickon was quiet for a moment before he glances at the ground, and then back at the family members that stood around him. "To be completely honest, I don't care what you do with him as long as he dies painfully." He looks back at Jon. "You're right. He did abuse me. But never to the point where I felt he took something away that I could never get back. He did that to Sansa too much…at least from what I've heard. I think she deserves the final say in this…but as long as he's dead, I don't care."

Jon nods, clearly happy to see him take such a different perspective on the issue. He turns to Sansa. "Then what is it you think we should do?"

"Cut off his cock?" Arya suggests. At Robb's look of discomfort at her saying that she scoffs. "I literally stole the face off a dead man and you're disgusted by _that?_ "

"It's still strange to hear my little sister talk like that."

"My _gods._ "

"Stop pestering each other," Sansa states, her quiet command getting the attention of everyone. She glances towards where the dungeons were before looking back to Jon and Robb. "Take me to him."

* * *

Ramsey still looked worse for wear, even more so now that the blood had dried. The men hadn't even bothered to do anything to him, just locked him up to make sure he didn't get out. Not that he really could.

The moment they walk in, however, he tilts his head up. And the instant he sees Sansa, he eerily smiles through his blood, eyes focused on her. "Ah, Sansa…hello, Sansa. Is this where I'll be staying now?"

She was silent. Ramsey chuckles a bit.

"No…it's not, is it? Our time together is about to come to an end. That's all right. You can't kill me. I'm a part of you now."

Jon goes to step forward, wanting to beat his face in bloody again, but Robb is the one who holds him back this time. "Let her speak," he whispers fiercely to him. "She can do this herself." The king lets out a sigh of annoyance but doesn't move, watching Sansa closely.

But the red-head doesn't seem to change her stance. She stares Ramsey down. The dogs that were in the cages growled. "Your words will disappear," she begins quietly, but her voice was firm. "Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear…and over time, you will from my memory as well."

She walks forward a couple more paces, her eyes unmoving from Ramsey's.

"Yes, for a while, you were a part of me. And you will be for some time. But I truly believe that I am meant for more than just being the wife of men like you. And I will not allow what you did to me or how you harmed me to stop me from what I want any longer."

"Sweet to hear you think I'll leave you so easily," the man taunts.

"It's sweet that you think you have that sort of staying power within my mind," Sansa instantly responds, and they see Ramsey's face drop the moment she says it. "No one knew who you were before you did the things that you did, just some bastard boy that tried so hard to please his father…and now that you are gone, that's all you'll be remembered as – a coward who would kill innocents to get what he wants."

She takes a step back and lets out a shaky breath before nodding to Daenerys. She had told the young woman about what she wanted to ask Ramsey, and she had easily agreed. The dragon queen steps forward, arms crossed. "This can go one of two ways, Ramsey," she begins evenly. "You tell us how you found out about the dragons and who gave you those plans to make those ballista's, or we will make sure your hounds make you."

"They are loyal beasts. They will never harm me," he snaps.

"Some of your men have said you haven't fed them in a week. They won't care who is there. If it's something that can fill their stomach, they will devour it, and make it as painful as possible…your choice."

The hound's growl and bark, almost to symbolize the strength of the decision.

Ramsey stares her down. Jon could see the different mix of emotions that ran through the Bolton boy's eyes. A mix of anger, fear, and many others. But after some time, he lets out a low, barely indistinguishable sigh. "I heard about the dragons from the capitol. King's Landing…the new queen found out about them long ago. She's been planning on coming up with weapons to end them, and when she found out the dragons were coming here, she sent me plans to try and kill you for her…shame it didn't work out."

Instantly, however, Jon singles out a sentence from his tirade. "Wait – new _queen?_ I thought Tommen was the king? And Margaery the queen?"

"Oh-oh, ho, _ho,_ you haven't heard, have you?" the man chuckles, that eerie smile returning to his face. "There was an explosion at the Sept of Baelor. Wildfire, apparently, hundreds of it under the building…Queen Margaery has been pronounced dead, as has most of her family. King Tommen jumped from the Red Keep. Both are gone. That leaves Cersei as queen now. The Lannister's have officially taken the throne."

Jon turns to Daenerys, both with a look of shock and surprise across their features. They had been so focused on the battle at Winterfell that they hadn't even thought about what was happening in King's Landing. This could change everything. Margaery dead? The king gone? Cersei as…queen? While the former queen being gone would make things easier - most likely to gain alliances with Olenna, Cersei as queen...that gave him a whole new feeling of fear. She truly had _nothing_ left to stop her from taking over Westeros.

_Fuck._

"I see that horror in your gaze. You're scared. You should be. I'm not the worst enemy here," Ramsey grunts. "You can use my men. You can-"

"Shut your mouth," Jon snaps, his demeanor changing instantly. "Just because you gave us word of what has happened isn't going to change the outcome of what will occur soon." Daenerys straightens up too, her expression back to stoic, but they both knew it was something they would need to talk about as soon as this was done. "Sansa…what is it that you want to do with this piece of shit?"

Sansa was quiet for a moment once more, her eyes watching over him. Jon almost assumed for her to go with the hounds as Daenerys had suggested earlier, but instead, she lets her arms cross once more across her chest. "I want you all to take part."

At their look of questioning, she continues.

"Arya, give me your knife." The younger Stark looks at her in surprise before she does so. Sansa holds it a bit clumsily in her hands but does so either way. "Robb, I want you to remove his pants. _Now._ " Robb looked at his little sister in shock, but at the glare that came over her eyes a moment later, he does so. Ramsey himself seemed to be nervous as to what she planned to do, but Jon had an idea.

And it was something he _genuinely_ did not think she would take Arya up on.

Robb cuts the pants off, barely giving the Bolton boy time to react until there was nothing but freezing air between his legs. Sansa takes a step forward, and Jon sees a slight smirk come over her lips.

"Funny…how non-threatening it looks when it's soft." Jon forces himself to hold in a laugh. Seven _hells._ Her eyes turn back to Ramsey. "I could do the simple thing here. I _could_ let your dogs maul you. It seems that they would be willing to as well with how much they are growling. But I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do any of that. In fact, I'm going to make sure your death is a lot more painful and slow – starting with this."

She reaches down and grabs a hold of his soft cock, a tight grip that had the man grunting and swearing under his breath. Jon's brow raises in surprise with Dany at his side. Robb turns his head away. Arya, however, had the biggest smirk on her face and she practically laughs under her breath.

"This is what gave me so much pain," Sansa states, her voice a mix of anger and sadness, all combined into one tumultuous storm. "This horrible thing. Not just because of what you did to me, but what you did to everyone. Your status, your name, all of it. But now, I will make _sure_ that you'll die without it. This isn't just for me. This is for every single person you've hurt to get here. The innocents, the children, the men, and women…for _Theon,_ and how you broke his fucking soul…this is for all of that. And I want you to _watch me._ "

Jon sees her grip the knife tightly, her hand still on his cock, but without a single word escaped from Ramsey's mouth, she slices into it. Of course, she didn't have the proper grip to do it one fatal sweep, which meant that there was _plenty_ of screaming from the Ramsey boy as she did so, cutting it off bit by bit until there was nothing there. Both Robb and Rickon had turned away, but Jon couldn't take his eyes off what she was doing. He couldn't believe it.

But at the same time, he very well could.

In the end, she slices it off with a grunt, Ramsey practically begging for the pain to stop now until there was nothing left but a bleeding stub of where it had once been, leaking onto the snow beneath them. "Robb." Her brother was silent. " _Robb._ " He clears his throat and turns to look at her. "Get a hot iron. Cauterize the wound. He's not dying from this."

Robb nods and quickly turns. Rickon's eyes follow Sansa's bloodied hand as she lifts the cock upwards before taking a step back. "Fuckin' _hell,_ " the younger boy mutters.

"Arya." She hands the severed limb to the younger girl and she takes it with almost a look of shock mixed with being impressed. "Feed it to the dogs."

She wastes no time, throwing it into the pits of one of the hounds. Within seconds, it devours it, the limb gone from the world within seconds. "Y-You fucking cunt!" Ramsey growls at her, but even Jon could hear the pain in his voice.

"Oh, that's not even the worst," Sansa responds, wiping her bloody hand on the edges of her dress. "Once Robb returns to end that bleeding right there, we're going to make sure you die in the worst way. First, we will do the classic Bolton fashion – flaying your body." His eyes instantly widen. "But don't worry, we won't do any parts that might kill you – only the ones that will seriously maim or injure you until you are practically writhing on the ground in pain. Then, and only then, will the king and queen execute you by burning." She looks back at Jon and Daenerys. "If that's alright."

"Fine with me," Jon instantly responds before turning to Daenerys.

The dragon queen shrugs a bit. "I expected you to use the dragons to some extent so feel free. I'm sure Drogon won't mind killing the person that shot him."

Sansa smiles a bit and nods, before turning back to Ramsey. For the first time since Jon had met him, he actually seemed to be _shaking._ "Please," he says quietly, his voice surprisingly calm for what was about to happen. "I-I'll never be here again, I'll l-leave you and your f-family but p-pleas-"

"The time for begging is done," Sansa interrupts, her eyes narrowed. "You lost that when you raped me all those years ago…and now I will make sure you never harm another girl, boy or person again." Robb returns a moment later with an iron bar, now hot to the tip, practically glowing. Sansa smiles when she sees it and he hands it to her at the cool end. "Brilliant…let's continue then, shall we?"

She brings the glowing edge to the tip of where his cock used to be and presses it against his skin. His screams ring through the courtyard.

* * *

_Daenerys_

They had done it slowly, just as she had requested.

They had flayed Ramsey alive, all of the parts that wouldn't kill him, hearing him yell in pain and beg for mercy, but no one gave it. And when he was a bleeding mess, unable to stand, screaming for someone or something to come save him, they burnt him to a crisp. Drogon ate his body not long after once Sansa gave the okay. Any parts that were leftover were fed to the hounds.

Usually, Daenerys was never one for that horrible of an execution. She had seen Jon abuse others before their deaths. Even some other men she had met. But she never thought Sansa, the young girl who had wanted to be a queen for so long (at least from Jon's words), would ever think of such a thing.

But she wasn't disgusted or surprised. In fact, there wasn't a single bit of her that felt any sort of horror towards the girl. Ramsey deserved every last bit that came to him.

When the next morning came after the execution, they had decided to gather in the meeting chambers to discuss what would happen next. Jon had joined already with his brothers, along with Davos, Brienne, and Podrick. Arya had taken her seat as well. Daenerys had been feeding the dragons when she came to it and saw Sansa standing outside, her mind lost somewhere else.

"Are you alright?" she has asked her as she approached the castle. The redhead looks up at her, disturbed from her trance, and then lets out a soft sigh.

"I'm…surviving, is the best word." She walks beside her as they head in, the warmth of the fire along the walls hitting Dany's skin. She did always hate how cold it was up here, no matter how beautiful the snow could be.

"Are you thinking about what you did yesterday?" she asks her quietly. After a moment, the girl nods. "Don't feel bad about it. He deserved every last bit of it."

"I don't," she says almost instantly, looking back at her. "I think he deserved it too but I… _that's_ what scares me. That I _don't_ feel bad about it….and now that I think about it, I didn't feel horrible after Joffrey was killed or…or any of that…what…what if I'm…"

Her words trail off, but Daenerys knew what she was referring to. She reaches out and takes the girl's arms. "Alright, Sansa…listen very closely to me." It was funny how the girl was naturally taller than her, but the look of fear that sat across Sansa's features was enough to make her seem small. "You aren't mad. Not by any means. If I _truly_ thought you were, do you think Jon and I would have proposed in you being our second hand?"

"…no."

"Exactly. See? You're a smart girl." She lets her hands drop. "Sansa, what you experienced was a feeling of justice, on both occasions. Both of those men did horrible, unspeakable things to you that royally ruined your life. Of course you didn't feel bad about their deaths. If I were in your shoes, I would have felt the same…how do you think Jon felt when he killed those traitors? The same way as you. But he's not mad. Just because you felt good about these men who hurt you dying doesn't make you a madwoman. Don't feel that way at all."

Sansa sighs quietly as the two of them continue to walk. "Did you ever feel that way?"

"Yes. Multiple times." She looks up at her. "I have had so many men try to kill me, but I've always won. And every single time after they have done, I've felt the same. It's not a horrid thing. It's nature. It's what you feel when you've won. And trust me – judging by where we are now, you have. Personally, I'm proud of you. I didn't think you'd have it in you."

Sansa smiles a bit at that and lets out a soft sigh. "I didn't either," she admits. "But thank you…I think I needed to do that. I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders." They stop outside of the meeting chambers now. "I wasn't a big fan of the blood, though."

Daenerys chuckles. "Well, we can see if Arya can train you to use a bow and arrow in the times to come."

Sansa nods. "I think that would do over quite well." She pauses for a moment before turning to Daenerys. "Really…thank you for what you said. It really helps."

Daenerys waves her hand dismissively. "Don't thank me. I'll always help those who need it."

Sansa nods again and then enters into the meeting chambers again, but this time with a much more solid smile on her face. Daenerys watches as she takes a seat next to her sister, who instantly starts to discuss how " _bloody amazing"_ it was with what she did to Ramsey. Daenerys waits a moment before coming in, and Jon looks up as she does, smiling a bit.

"Are you doing alright?" he asks her gently, to which she nods, taking the spot next to him. She squeezes his hand.

"Perfectly…let's begin."

Jon nods and then turns to the rest of the people in the room, clearing his throat. Within seconds, the conversations begin to die down, and all eyes turn to him. Davos moves and takes his seat next to Jon, while Brienne moves close to Sansa. Jon lets this linger for a moment, and Daenerys knew why. He was remembering the moment.

Of when they got their home back.

"This was a moment I did not think I would get to experience again," Jon begins lightly, smiling a bit. "Most of my family back in the same room once more…with even more additions to add on." Daenerys sees him look her way for a moment before paying attention back to the guests in the room. "Now all we need to do is find Bran…but I still have no idea where he might be."

"I was with him for a time," Rickon admits lightly. All eyes turn to him. "Bran always had these…powers. I never understood them, but it was like he was able to…warg, I think it was called."

"I did that once, yeah," Jon says quietly. "When I was killed, I was in Ghost's mind for a bit, but he can…do it willingly?"

"Yes…so much so that we ended up going our separate ways because of it. I went to House Umber with a wildling woman…she kept us safe. But I don't know where he might be now. All I know is that he had to go somewhere to learn the ways of his powers…he could be far beyond the Wall at this point."

Jon sighs softly but nods. "I was expecting that…I suppose whoever does decide to stay here will look out for him if he is alive…I suppose that would be asking for too much, though." He looks between them once again. "But, that's not why we are here today. While it is a dream to be back at home here and that Winterfell once again belongs back to the Starks, there is much we must talk about, including the next steps. The queen and I must return to Dragonstone soon to continue our fight against the crown and gain back the throne before the White Walkers arrive."

"So that is what you are planning?" Davos asks. "Gaining the throne _before_ the fight with the dead?"

"Originally we weren't going to," Daenerys admits from where she sat. "What we wanted to do was gain back Winterfell and see if we could possibly ambush the dead before they breached the Wall…but with everything that's happened in the capital, this is the best time to attack. Considering we don't know where Margaery is…the Tyrell's are going to want to take down the throne. The Dornish hate the Lannister's. We have a better chance at gaining their alliance now more than ever. And that would add many more men onto our army."

"That does make sense," he agrees.

"But what about the dead? If they do breach the Wall? And they arrive here?" Robb asks. "What about the lives of the North?"

Jon sighs slightly. "From what we've witnessed, the dead do move slow. They're trying to gain as large of an army before attacking us. But, in terms of that, Daenerys and I thought that once the North sees that the Starks have Winterfell, you can lead the people here down South where they will be safe, for as long as they can. With the men that we have _now,_ there is no way that we will be able to fight all of the dead. We must gain as many allies as possible before then…if they do arrive before we've taken back the throne, we will make sure we send you the proper weapons and supplies needed to make it through before making a retreat."

Robb's shoulders drop. "You really don't think we could do it right now?"

"I want to believe that we can even _survive_ this, Robb," Jon says softly. "Look at what we had to do with Ramsey. We needed to be quiet and evasive and somehow cause a distraction, but these monsters don't do that. Their only call is violence. You can't sneak up on them as we have here. It can only be equally matched, which is why we need to take back the throne and gain the armies as soon as possible."

"Fine then," Robb responds, letting his hands drop to the table in disappointment. "But I demand that we are given some good Dragonglass weapons."

"You will get them, we promise that," Daenerys says. "But hopefully you won't need to use them." She looks up at Jon and bites her lip, wondering if they should mention the other topic that had been on their minds. He gestures for her to step forward, smiling a bit, so she does, standing slightly. "Jon and I also have something to tell you all."

The looks that range across their face amused Dany. From confusion to suspicion, and then Sansa was the one whose eyes widened first and she stood. "There's no way."

Daenerys chuckles and nods. "There is." She looks at everyone else. "Jon and I are having a child."

The reactions were mixed, to looks of shock and happiness, a slew of congratulations. Sansa had hugged her, saying how happy she was for the two of them. And Daenerys had never felt so much joy at that very thought. To hear them so greatly cheerful for her and Jon.

"That is amazing, my queen," Davos says with a smile on his lips. "I remember when my wife had hers. It was a joyous occasion."

"Wait, wait," Robb instantly states, standing up from where he was. "How long have you known?"

Daenerys exchanges a look with Arya, who slinks down in her seat. "Well…Arya and I have known for some time," she admits quietly. "Before we came here. I only told Jon a couple of weeks ago."

"So how far along are you?" Sansa asks.

"At this point, three moons since we've traveled since Castle Black."

"You allowed her to fight like this?" Robb instantly questions Jon. "She could have been shot down! Hell, she _was_!"

"The queen is fully capable of making her own decisions," Jon answers, standing up to face his brother. "I told her I was worried about it. I told her after I don't want her putting herself in danger like that again. But she's alive, and so is the babe. If I was terrified of what would happen, I never would have allowed it. She was much safer than you think."

"I appreciate your concern, Robb," Daenerys says to the eldest Stark, who turns to her. "But I was alright. They could see my dragon but I was far too small to see on the back of Drogon. I would have been alright even if Drogon wasn't shot."

Robb sighs a bit. "Still, even so…that's something that would terrify me if anyone I cared about had been in your shoes. I know you're the famous 'dragon queen' but you can never be too careful." He turns to Jon now. "Is this why you want to gain the throne first as well?"

Jon was quiet for a moment before he nods. "Yes. I can't have Daenerys give birth here when the time comes and the dead are right there. If we are further down south, she is much safer than she would be within the walls of Winterfell. And considering neither of us knew this would really happen, we are going to make sure she is as safe as possible."

Robb silently nods before taking his seat again. Everyone else does a moment later as well. "Alright…so if that's that then, and you're going to go South while we prepare the North here, then what happens next?" He looks to Jon. "How do we truly prepare?"

"Well…we need to figure out exactly who is going to be staying here." He looks to Robb. "I assume because you _are_ the heir of Winterfell, you will stay here and take your place, correct?"

"Of course."

"It does seem that the men are following your orders," Daenerys mentions. "I haven't seen anyone protest."

"I haven't either, thank the gods," he states with a slight breathless laugh. "But hopefully over time, we will see how this plays out."

Jon looks over to Rickon. "But what is it that you want to do?"

Rickon looks to him and then the rest of the room before speaking. "I…think I'll stay here." He looks back at Jon. "I was away from Winterfell for a long time, and even if I was a prisoner here, it is my home. It's the only home I ever knew…and besides, I should probably know how everything works if Robb were to actually die this time around."

Robb rolls his eyes a bit. "Going to try and prevent that." He pushes his brother's shoulder lovingly. "But it would be nice to have another Stark around here like always."

Rickon smiles at his words. Daenerys could tell the youngest Stark child would most likely be the quietest out of all of them, but she had a feeling that his heart was in the right place. Jon nods silently at his words before turning to where Arya was. "Since we already have two Starks staying in Winterfell…I assume you're going to want to travel the world as you've said before?"

Arya's brow furrows. "Why would I do that when there's so much to be done?"

"You yourself said you never wanted to be a lady," Jon points out.

"And who says I have to be?" she asks him, her brow raised, arms crossed along her chest. "I don't intend to suddenly take up space in a castle somewhere. I just helped my brother and my cousin gain back Winterfell. If anything, I deserve a spot amongst your ranks – especially since I helped your little soldiers learn the ways of the Faceless men."

Jon chuckles a bit. "I was going to propose that too, but very well. You wish to join us back on Dragonstone?"

"Of course I do. I can't stay in the cold forever." Arya smiles a bit. "Besides I miss the dragons – especially Arrax. I think he and I had a thing going for a bit."

Jon snickers but nods. "Alright then. I'm sure they'll be happy to welcome you back." He turns to Sansa now, who had remained quiet for most of the conversation. "And what of you, sister? Have you…thought about your decision yet?"

Sansa was quiet for a moment before nodding. "I have." She looks back at him and then the others. "Being here in the North has been…great for me. I have loved taking back our home. I have loved seeing the Stark name returned to these walls, as it always should have been. Your men have worked hard. We _all_ have…but now that I am in these walls…I, unfortunately, have the opposite feeling of Rickon."

The younger boy's brow raises. "How so?" he asks lightly.

"Well, while you still feel at home here, I…I want to find other places. Each time I look at a chamber here now, I only think of what happened to be. The horrors that I witnessed. The screams I was forced to hear…what I had to go through. I know when I was younger all I wanted was power. I know that now…and to an extent, I still do, but for the right reasons this time. I want to try and make this world better for people like me…really, like the Starks. The ones who everyone has spat on for so long now, ever since father's death. The people who deserve happiness after everything they have been through." She looks to Brienne. "I assume that wherever I go, you will follow me as well?"

"Of course, my lady," she answers, and when Podrick says nothing, she nudges his side. He quickly nods as well. Daenerys holds in a chuckle.

"Good."

Sansa turns to Jon now.

"I may be young, but I've resided under some of the worst rulers in Westeros history and some of the more cunning people to have ever graced this world. I know the ways in which they work, and how their minds operate. Cersei can not remain queen for long. She will grow mad with power. The one thing that kept her sane were her children and now, all three are _gone._ If we don't do something soon, then the world will pay for it…which if why I'd be happy to accept the role as your second hand."

Robb's brow raises the moment she says this. " _Second hand?"_ he whispers in shock. "Gods, I didn't think she's get put up that much."

Jon smiles from where he sat and reaches over, taking his sister's hand and squeezing. "Thank you, Sansa. You won't regret this." He raises an eyebrow at Robb. "And why do you say that?"

"I didn't mean anything by it," Robb responds instantly. "I just never thought of my little sister as a hand. That's amazing to hear." He looks at her with his own smile. "I'm truly proud of you, Sansa…you've come a long way."

Sansa smiles from where she sat now. "Thank you, Robb."

Davos looks to her from across the table. "It'll be a pleasure to work wit' you, Lady Sansa. I know you'll be the fiercest out of the two of us. Was never much a fighter."

The young woman chuckles. "Thank you as well, Ser Davos."

Jon lets her hand drop this time, letting out a comforting sigh. "Great…now that we have all that settled, here is what I propose that we do. By the time we have arrived in Dragonstone, our hopefully soon-to-be allies will be there. We will discuss the terms of which we will unite, and attack the weak points of the Lannisters first before heading right to the Red Keep. The quicker we take out these people, the better."

"Once we reclaim the throne, we will send word to you," Daenerys says, looking to Robb. "Because you will be ruling over the seat of the North, the men will follow you. By then, we will have ample space to store the Northern forces there and wait for the impending battle that is soon to come. That way, we will have plenty of time to prepare the rest of the armies, as the Night King will start to spread across the country. As for the innocent people in the cities, we will have the houses that run those areas to bring them as well, and keep them safe behind barriers are chamber dungeons until the battle is won."

"There won't be any dead bodies in there, right?" Arya asks. They raise their brows at her. "I'm only saying that if the Night King can bring people back to life, who's to stop him from doing so with the dungeons? He could very well rise those corpses just as much."

"True," Jon mutters before turning to Daenerys. "We might need to find another spot to load them just in case."

"It's something we'll figure out in the meantime…no dead bodies," she agrees.

"Wait," Robb stops. "While I do agree and believe that we should move as quickly as possible to get away from the Wall, there are a couple of snaps I see. Why do you think that they will follow me so quickly after what I've done? And now to bring this up, but many of my former men still want the North independent from the Seven Kingdoms. I don't know how they might react under new leadership, even if you did help save Winterfell."

Daenerys and Jon exchange a look of knowing between them before Daenerys speaks. "Well, first we are going to send word to every Northern house to bring them here and tell them that Winterfell belongs to the Starks again, and we will have a proper meeting to discuss everything. In terms of independence…Jon and I have discussed a solution."

"And what would that be?"

Of which, they tell him.

* * *

_Jon_

Another week passes before most of the Northern houses had arrived at Winterfell, even the ones that hadn't sent men before, shocked to see that, by the graces of whatever Gods existed out there, they had _done it._

Well, that and the dragons flying close by most likely scared them, but either way, Jon felt pride for what they had done.

One after one they would arrive, and they all had that same look of shock in their eyes. Each stunned that they somehow did it. And while some were quick to question how, Jon would simply say all would be answered soon. The only houses that weren't shocked were the ones that declared themselves to the Starks – House Mormont and House Reed, as well as a couple of men from The Vale.

The moment little Lyanna met Daenerys was one that he would remember for years. The moment she arrived with her valued knight and maester at her side, she had requested to meet the dragon queen the second her small but mighty feet stepped into the castle. Jon had honored her request, considering she was one of the few leaders that offered her men.

Daenerys had been aiding in getting some of the men who were finally healing from their wounds up on their feet again in a makeshift nursing tent they had made. The moment she saw little Lyanna, she bowed her head and smiled. "Lady Lyanna. It is my pleasure to meet you."

"I should be the one bowing, your grace."

"Please. You're one of the few that gave my future husband and his family a chance. You have the utmost honor. He has told me much about you and I can see from all of that, every tale is true."

Lyanna had raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"I don't, but I suppose we'll have plenty of time to see if what I assume is true is correct, won't we?" she asks her, before suddenly the dragons fly overhead, going towards the open fields in the distance. Lyanna stares at them in wonder while Daenerys had smirked at her interest. "Maybe one day you'll be able to meet them."

"…really?" Lyanna asks her.

"For the lady of Bear Island? Anything."

Their meeting had been interrupted, however, when Sansa had called her over, yelling "Arya won't give up the bloody parchment!" when writing to their allies. Daenerys had rolled her eyes and excused herself. "I promise we will continue this chat later, my lady." She had bowed her head again and raced off, yelling back at the two women.

Lyanna had barely blinked an eye before smiling up at Jon, saying, "I like her," before moving along with some of her men back into the castle.

Jon had laughed, fighting off the urge to say "Me too" to the girl.

Within a couple of days, all of the houses – at least the leaders of them – of the North had arrived in Winterfell, including one man that both Robb and Jon instantly kept an eye on the moment they returned.

Petyr Baelish.

He seemed to act accordingly – as he should, considering if he made one wrong move Robb would probably have his head. But Jon kept Dany's words in his head, of a possible insurrection from Baelish because of his need for power. When he had explained that to Arya, she had said she'd keep an eye on him as well.

When he approached them, where Dany, Jon, and Robb had stood – with Sansa, Arya, and Rickon to the side - he had bowed his head with that same smile. It made Jon's skin crawl. "Your graces, and Lord Stark." He looks back up. "It is a pleasure to see you all – including you, my lord. I didn't believe you were alive and yet here you are."

"In the flesh," Robb says calmly. "Back in my home. And now you are the Lord Protector of the Vale. Funny how things happen that way…how long has that been?"

"Not too long, your grace. But getting longer each day," he says with that same _fucking smile._

Baelish steps away from them and Jon hears Robb mutter under his breath "we'll see how long that lasts."

Jon rolls his eyes and watches as he bows to Daenerys, the two of them engaging in light talking before he sees him go over to Sansa and the others.

Now, Jon wasn't the smartest man alive – not by any means. But he'd like to think that he wasn't blind. And any fool could see the difference in which he looked at Rickon and Arya, and then at Sansa. He held her hand tighter and bowed just _ever_ so slightly more for her, speaking a bit more quietly until he went into the castle.

"You saw that too, correct?" Daenerys mutters to Jon, to which he nods.

He then looks to his brother, who was staring at the spot Baelish had just been in. "I'm going to make sure that he doesn't stay in power for long," Robb states quietly, before turning to look at him. "If I recall, Robyn should be of age to take over the Vale. It's not right that Baelish has it either way…even so, maybe it is good that you're taking her away from here. The further away from that prick the better."

"I agree," Jon says quietly before looking to the rest of them again. "I think we should head back in…get this all settled out as soon as possible."

Of that they agreed.

Within the next couple of hours or so after Baelish's arrival, they had settled every house or man that they could into the meeting chambers of Winterfell. As Jon surveyed the room, he could see the leader of each house, to the extent that they could be here. Of course, the Mormonts and the Reeds were near the front, as well as the Vale soldiers that were sent, followed by Cerwyns, the Mandarly's, and many others that had either refused the call or didn't respond.

And yet, here they were now.

He could even see the youngest of the Karstarks and the Umbers, the ones who sadly had no say in how their relatives played out in the battle before. But they came, as they should have. Sansa had proposed that what they planned to offer to the North shouldn't be extended to them for their betrayal, but Daenerys had said that it was better to offer the children a second chance – it wasn't their fault that their parents had made horrible decisions.

To which they had agreed, considering all of them were the products of parents who made truly _awful_ decisions.

Soon, however, Jon had called the meeting to begin, and most had quieted down, listening to him with vigilance that even he wasn't expecting. He talked about the battle, the regaining of the castle, and the men that they lost. He thanked the Mormonts and the Reeds for their men and promised to thank them heavily in the wars to come.

But eventually, it was time for the moment that both Robb and Jon had been waiting for.

"Many of you we have already seen once in the last couple of months," Jon states quietly. "When we came to ask for your help, and you refused. Many believed we could not do it. And yet, here we are. Many of you thought I would take a dragon and burn down the whole castle to win – and yet, we did not. We used them to distract, not to harm. We stand victorious now because of the ones who believed in us, and the ability to think outside of the common box that most of you have been trapped in for years."

Jon stands and heads to the edge of the high table, his arms crossed against his own chest now.

"I don't blame you, however," he continues. "Our ancestors have made horrible decisions. Ones that have ruined the ties between our lands for years. However, the queen and I want to improve those relations through any means possible. And we believe that we have come to a conclusion that will satisfy all of you."

He glances at the ground, his own thoughts taking over for a minute.

"Not that most of you deserve it, honestly." He looks back at them, seeing the look of surprise and shock come across their faces. "What? You're surprised that a leader is speaking his mind about the people below him? Well, I'll be glad to, thank you. Because none of you believed that we could do this. I know from experience at least half of you have prejudices against the Targaryen name. The other half of you can't stand to look at Robb for what happened in the War of the Five Kings. Some of you can't even bear to look at my sister because of her marriage to a dead man. But we are the ones that stand here back in our home because we did the best that we could – and apparently, did a pretty good job of it. We could have destroyed all your homes. We could have forced you to come. But we didn't, because we believed that somehow, someway, we would do it, and we did not want to succumb to what rulers before have leaned towards when their night looked the darkest."

He looks to where his brother stood and smiled a bit.

"Robb may have made his mistakes – we all have at this point – but there is no denying that he is a leader. He brought these men into battle against a force that should have destroyed us and yet, almost all of them came out alive. There is no denying his ability to lead." The soldiers that were there hmm'd in agreement with what he said. "And this is why I know no matter what, he will be able to lead all of you into the night, the best that he can when the real threat comes here."

Jon turns back to the group of leaders in the room.

"The Bolton's were but a distraction in trying to secure our home again. Soon, the real threat will come South, and you must move with it. And we will be able to make sure that not only will the North get to see another day, but the rest of Westeros will as well."

There was a quiet cough from the room and Jon turned his eyes to see Wyman standing now. "Not to interrupt you, your grace," he states quietly. "But, uh…what is it exactly that you are going to be? And what is the North going to be? The last I remembered, the North had declared itself independent from the kingdoms...while we haven't had a ruler for some time, no one has stopped us thus far. That was a big reason as to why many refused the call – we did not want to be roped back in under the ruling of…well, another new king and queen in Westeros."

There were murmurs of quiet agreement from among the leaders. Jon looks to where Daenerys stood, and she takes her spot next to him.

"We understand that, Lord Manderly," she states quietly. "But with what is going to happen soon, there is no feasible way that the North is going to remain independent as it has been for years. The threat is far too great, and even if all of our armies were to combine, it still wouldn't be enough to take on the army of the dead."

"How do we even know that these things are real?" Baelish asks. "We haven't even seen them ourselves. How are we expected to believe this sort of nonsense? And much less from a foreigner."

"Lord Baelish, you should do well to watch your tongue," Sansa warns, but Daenerys raises her hand to her quietly.

"It's alright, Sansa. I can handle this." She turns back to the older man. "Do you wish to see the scars that they inflicted on me in Hardhome, Lord Baelish? The ones that almost killed me?" Daenerys asks, her voice even. The room fell silent. "I was a part of the Night's Watch for a time under a guise. It was how I came to meet Jaehaerys. And during that time, I saw the dead. We all did. We barely got out of it the first time. If not for my dragon, we would not be here…and we know that no matter what, they are coming. And the North is not prepared. This is why the both of us tried so hard to bring the Winterfell back to the Starks – so they had a home to return to, a place where the people to the North can stay safe until the chance to move, and the opportunity to rejoin an alliance with Westeros for the sake of your people."

Daenerys lets out a soft sigh before continuing to speak.

"I know that you may not know who I am that well. I know that to you, I am probably mere stories that have been moved across the sea that spell out my horrors as the worst they can be. But I am more than just the words of others who haven't seen who I am. If I was truly a horrible person as some people believe me to be, do you really think Jaehaerys would stand behind me? He is an honorable man. He always gives people the chances he deserves. He knows when someone is truly evil. And if not for him, look to the Starks. To the houses below us in the South. The ones that want to see the true villain – Cersei – off of the throne…at first, my quest to retake the Iron Throne was for selfish reasons. A want to return home…but I've found my home with the Starks. Now, it's purely to take it back for people like you…to give the innocent ones a life that they never had before. One that's good, and just. But that can't happen until we all unite together under one banner, and take on the dead."

There was silence across the room, but Jon couldn't see a single bit of them protest to what she said. Lyanna smiled from where she stood and whispered to her maester, who seemed to agree with what she said. Jon quietly nudges Dany's side and smiles discreetly at her, one that said ' _good speech.'_ She quietly nudges him back.

"What is this alliance you are proposing?" Lord Cley Cerweyn asks after a moment.

Daenerys looks to Jon and nods to him to continue talking, which he does. "We know that the North wants to remain independent, but as we said earlier, there is no feasible way right now for that to happen. It's too dangerous, the supplies right now in the North are too low, and the threat is far too high. Even Ramsey's men had supplies brought in from further down the continent. He didn't get anything himself. An alliance to keep the North alive right now is needed, just as there have been alliances in the past. Trading must occur. However, we've come up with a simple solution to this – Dorne."

There was a snort that came from another lord. "You expect us to trade with someone who is all the way at the opposite end of the continent?"

"Not trade," Jon responds patiently. "Trust me, the trading you would be doing would be through the crown alone, but the matter of your independence relies on the existence of Dorne."

That seemed to bring confusion amongst the men. Jon turns to Robb to have him speak next, knowing that he needed to make sure that _his_ people heard him say this, not Jon.

Robb gives him a knowing look before taking a step forward. "Dorne was one of the only kingdoms to successfully fight off Aegon's conquest when he first unified all the kingdoms of Westeros, and that remained for years until peaceful agreements were met. The North has been independent for centuries prior to the unification, but there is no doubt that there has been much prosperity in the North since its combination with the other kingdoms. We did receive much more trade, coin, and power ever since then as one of the fortified kingdoms of Westeros, but since Robert Baratheon's death, many have been after us, to end the Starks and take the North back. But the Targaryen's are willing to offer a treaty that can satisfy all our needs – that the North become a principality."

There were instant murmurs that came from the lords of the room, some that seemed interested and others that looked at each other in surprise. Robb continues.

"Under this order, The North would be able to remain independent to a default. We'd have our own men, our own food and policies, even to an extent our own trading posts. We would have the option to title ourselves as princes and princesses of the North, in regards to our ruling standpoint of where we are. Even myself as the warden of the North would be known as a prince. But we must remain in trade with Westeros once this is done…and we swear our men to them if need be. We work underneath them, as a partnership, rather than how they rule over many of the other kingdoms. Why do you think Dorne has remained largely independent from the Seven Kingdoms even though they are considered a part of it? Because of a transition that lacked bloodshed. A transition that many kingdoms did not get."

He turns to where Jon and Daenerys stood.

"I know that the North has never had a fair chance with some of the rulers in King's Landing. While we've done well economically in the past and have prospered, there have been rulers that have taken our lands and ended lives quicker than we were given the chance. But I believe with my entire heart that Jaehaerys and Daenerys are the ones that will change the meaning of what it's like to be a ruler. They didn't need to be here. They didn't need to help us gain back Winterfell, but they did. And now, all they want is that we swear to them we will fight by their sides against the dead when the time comes, and afterward we can live in peace."

Robb glances to the ground and swallows slightly before looking back to the lords, his eyes bared straight towards them, not a stutter on his tongue.

"I know that I have done bad things. I know that I ran away from my home. But I had no choice at the time. I was broken and defenseless and my men were gods know where. I was torn into pieces, to the point where I didn't think I could come back…but I'm here now. And we took back Winterfell, not only for the Starks but for the North. And together we'll take back the throne for the ones who deserve to rule and unite against the last true peril that haunts us all – the dead. You can have whatever feelings that you want towards me, as warden, as a prince, as a lord, as a man – whatever it is that you want, but I won't allow anyone on this land to bring harm or ill-will towards the people who have done nothing but try and protect us and will continue to do so until the end of their days. This is the last option that we have because if we don't unite now, there won't be any time to do so in the future, and by then, it will be too late."

Robb sits down a moment later after that, letting his words linger through the air. Jon could see multiple people talking to each other, murmurs spreading, whispers as fierce as the dragons outside, until someone finally stood. Someone small.

Lady Lyanna.

"When you, the king and his hand, and your sister came to the home of House Mormont, I was surprised to see. I had never thought that a man that we all presumed was dead would suddenly show up on our steps, asking for help. And at first, I was reluctant to give it. My mother had died under his rank. Many of my men as well." Robb bows his head slightly the moment she says that. "And yet, here we stand." He looks right back up. "Most of my men are still alive now, with the heart of a fighter still as strong the day I sent them here to fight for you. I did it because House Mormont is sworn to House Stark, no matter who is ruling. I had no clue how you would do it, but you did, and somehow, we stand here, alive. That shows the strength of not only Lord Stark, but the strength of the king and queen behind him."

She turns to look at the rest of them.

"Your son was butchered at the Red Wedding, Lord Manderly, and yet you refused the call."

Wyman's head drops the moment she says that.

"You swore allegiance to House Stark, Lord Glover, and you refused the call."

He does the same movement as Wyman.

"And you, Lord Cerwyn, your father was skinned _alive_ by Ramsey Bolton – still you refuse the call."

The older man looks away.

"But House Mormont remembers. The _North_ remembers. We have known no king but the King in the North whose name is Stark. We have seen what that does to our lands. And what it could do further. If we want our men to live past this war, we need them by our side – and we need the Targaryen's as well." She looks back to the front. "I don't care what has happened in the past, or if there is dragon's blood that runs through their veins. King Jaehaerys is just as much a Stark as he is a Targaryen. The queen has proven that she is of valid strength and can be trusted…and even if Lord Stark left ages ago, he has returned when the North has needed him the most. And so-" She stops her speech to grab a cup that had been resting next to her, filled with water, Jon could remember. "From this day until the end of my days, I raise my cup to King Jaehaerys and Queen Daenerys. To the king and queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and to the new North."

The murmuring resumes across the room. Jon feels himself smile at the young girl as she takes a sip of her cup before sitting down. He could see Robb trying to keep the grin off his own face, the stoic man he tried to be when leading.

Lord Manderly suddenly stands from where he was. "Lady Mormont speaks harshly and truly." He looks over to Robb. "My son died fighting for you, Lord Stark. I didn't think we would ever find another king in my lifetime that I felt I could send my men after. The didn't commit my men to your cause 'cause I didn't want more Manderly's dying for nothing."

"Which is a noble reason," Robb agrees. "Something that I will never let happen again."

"But you have avenged the Red Wedding," Wyman continues. "All of you have by taking down that piece of scum. You've proven that not only can the North become one once more, but we can trust the ones down south to give us the help that we need…in the time that we need it. As Lady Mormont has done before me, I raise my cup." This time, he grabs his own cup with wine in it. "And draw my blade." He removes his sword and lets it rest point-down on the ground. "For the new king and queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and the prince that will rule the North. My prejudices of the past – as well as all of ours – must be forgotten if we wish to live another day." He raises his cup. "To the king and queen. And to the new North." And takes a long sip of his wine.

Another lord stands a moment later. Jon sees that it was of House Glover.

"I did not fight beside you on the field," Lord Glover begins. "And I will regret that until my dying day. A man can only admit when he was wrong and ask for forgiveness."

Jon fights the inner urge to snort. ' _Yeah, no shit.'_ A part of him didn't want to forgive. A part of him wanted to move along with some of these Northern men for daring to stand in their way. But what kind of hypocrite would he be if he did that? So, he swallows his pride and shakes his head. "There's nothing to forgive, my lord."

"There will be more fights to come," he responds quietly. "House Glover will stand not only behind House Stark – as we have for thousands of years – but House Targaryen. And I will stand behind the true rulers of Westeros…King Jaehaerys and Queen Daenerys." He removes his sword from its sheath as Wyman had done before, and grabs his cup. "And to that, I shall raise my cup to thee as well. To the king and queen!"

It seemed that the moment he says that, all the lords stand within the hall, drawing their blades and stamping them to the ground while raising their cups to them, filled with wine and new intentions of the world that was to come. "To the king and queen!" they all say in unison.

"To the young wolf!" Wyman calls out a moment later, turning to where Robb stood.

"To the young wolf!" the lords repeat back, slamming their swords against the edge of the ground. Jon stands as does Daenerys and Robb once more, looking to the lords of the room.

"To Winterfell!" another lord cheers.

"To Winterfell!" they all respond once more.

The lords go back between the phrases, over and over, their shouts of unity echoing across the chamber room. Lyanna Mormont stood in the front, leading the charge. "To the king and queen!" "To the young wolf!" "To the king and queen!" "To the young wolf!" "To _Winterfell!_ "

Again and again, those same words, ones that had a smile spreading across Robb's lips. Jon turns to his brother and subtly rubs his back, one that spoke one phrase.

' _You did it.'_

Robb gives him a quiet smile but keeps his gaze on the lords, who chanted the same phrase. Jon turns to where Daenerys stood and takes her hand in his, to which she squeezes it. Unity over separation. A united kingdom vs. a divided one. This was what they planned to bring. This was the world they needed to enforce.

And now – from what it seemed – the North was on their side. And that was a _huge_ step in the correct direction.

Cersei – and more importantly, the Night King, had _no idea_ what was coming for them.

Jon watches as they repeat the phrases again, taking sips of their wine after a moment, letting out a hearty cheer. He sees Sansa smiling brightly from where she stood, clapping with Rickon next to her, the youngest Stark taking a sip of her wine. But at that moment, Jon noticed that both Arya and Davos were not in the room.

His brow furrows as he excuses himself for a moment. Daenerys goes to ask him what was wrong but when she sees that both of them were missing, she quickly whispers "I'll hold them over until you return."

He had nodded and headed out into the hallways before, trying to see where they had disappeared off to so quickly. After searching through the dark halls of Winterfell, he finally comes across them resting along the edges of the balcony, overlooking the soldiers down below who were still rebuilding the courtyard. But what he did notice is that Davos held a piece of parchment in his hands.

"Ser Davos," he begins, causing the two to turn in surprise. "Arya, what is it that you two are doing over here?"

"Your grace, I-" Davos looks to Arya, who sighs.

"I…received a letter – well, you did a couple of days ago, but I found it before anyone else," Arya states quietly. "You and Daenerys were so focused on what was happening with the Lords of the North and Robb taking over and everything else I…I didn't let you know about it yet but I was _going to!_ "

"I found it outside of her chambers as I was coming to where you were, your grace," Davos states, handing the piece of parchment to him. "It's something you should read."

Jon's brow furrows as he quickly takes it from his hands. He reads over it quickly before feeling his grip tighten even so lightly. "This isn't something that you just hide, Arya," he mutters, looking to his younger sister. She bites her lip, and he could see a clear look of fear in her eyes. Jon sighs a bit. "I understand why you did it but Daenerys and I _need_ to know about these things. This…this might throw some issues into our plans, of what we wish to do. It all depends on what she wants now."

"…but…how?" she genuinely asks.

"How?" Jon asks, lowering the piece of parchment to his side. "I know you aren't familiar that well with the ways of ruling, but there are plenty of ways…even so, the first thing we must do is tell the others. Next time, _don't_ keep something like this from me. Swear to me."

"I swear," she quickly states.

Jon shakes his head. He loved his little sister but occasionally he wished that these letters were somehow directed right towards him. Blasted raven system.

"We wait until the end of the meeting, your grace?" Davos suggests.

"We will…go and rejoin them. I'll return in a bit. And no snooping letters, for the gods' sake." Arya's face turns red and she nods, taking a step back while she heads back into the castle. Davos follows after her, and once he was gone, Jon lets out a deep sigh and holds the parchment tight in his hands, his eyes surfing over the letter once more.

It was stamped from House Tyrell and was signed by Olenna, the woman he had heard much about from Daenerys' correspondence.

But the queen of which he thought was gone from their house was still very much of this world. From the words he could see, Margaery Tyrell was _alive_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XX AUTHORS NOTE READ XX
> 
> Soooo that's the end of season 6, I suppose haha onto season 7&8
> 
> Before I get any questions regarding certain plot points in this chapter, I'm going to clarify and explain the changes that I made:
> 
> The North is a principality - I mean, most of ya'll should have seen this coming but that's the only feasible way I could go with sort of what the show did but also make it realistic. In the current state of hte North, it's practically impossible for them to be completely independent with how large it is. They needed foreign trade to somehow keep their people alive during the winter that has ravaged most of their crops, and for the future of Westeros with the White Walkers coming. It needed to happen. That way, they can still have the same freedoms they would have once the war for the dawn is over, but also have that trading ability with the king and queen, and have the same amount of independence that Dorne usually has because honestly, Dorne lowkey doesn't even feel like part of the kingdoms does it? For good reason. And besides I like my take on the whole "king in the north" scene but giving it a different spin on it. I hope ya'll did too idk lol (runs away and hides)
> 
> Taking the throne before the White Walkers - personally, I thought this was always how it should have happened in the show, for the same reasons I put into this chapter - the numbers. The North was severely undernumbered in the show, even with Dany's Unsullied and the Dothraki. They were still healing from the Battle of the Bastards, and I highly doubt that all of the North's forces were there at Winterfell during the Battle of Winterfell. Also, can we just remember that the White Walkers DO move slow? It took them eight whole ass seasons to make it to the opposite side of the wall, and only then did they make it because they had Viserion. Now, I'm not going to give away any plot points bc clearly most of the Night's watchmen are dead but I will say that it'll still take them time, and besides if Dany and Jon have the throne, they will not only have more men on their side considering they will be the rulers, but a safer place for the Northmen to go before the White Walkers strike, just so they can be the safest they can be. I know it might not be everyone's cup of tea here, but this is my story and I'm going to do what I see fit, because personally that whole entire battle in the show was a shit show, because so many more people should have died with how little their numbers were. The plot armor was strong. So we're going to make sure that doesn't happen this time around. 
> 
> Ramsey's death - yeah, I wanted to make it brutal. That's all. He deserved way more than what the show gave him. Sorry not sorry for that lol
> 
> And I wanted to address something personally right here in this chapter regarding a certain plot point that a couple of people mentioned in the last chapter, with Dany and Arya coming in to help Jon and the others with Ramsey. I will stand by that decision because I personally feel having her fight on their side during the battle would pain a good picture for her and their conquest, as well as Jon as not just a targaryen but a Stark. Some wanted Jon to "do this alone" or that he was a "pussy" for crying to Dany after literally most of his men and his squire were killed, but yeah he's a human, ya'll. He cries when people die. I've been crying nonstop every single day at least for a couple of minutes because of what I've been going through so excuse me if I wanted to add a little bit of humility to his character. In my story Jon and Dany work together through things, and while they do work well separately, sometimes they just need each other to get through stuff, and I'll stand by that until the end of time, because I love them and we were cheated of them in the show. And I hope you guys like that too, and I thank you all for being with me on this crazy journey. It's been a heck of a show. 
> 
> My life has been a shit train lately but you guys have been making it worth living, so thank you. 
> 
> Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter, as I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions about the change it's taking in comparison to the show and all your ideas and comments. I love hearing what you all have to say and you truly do make my day whenever you all comment, so thank you so much - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story, and I will see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: News is spread across Winterfell. The dragons return to their home. A fierce and fiesty alliance is made.


	28. Return to Dragonstone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Targaryen's and friends head back to Dragonstone for the beginning of the end of their claim to the throne - while also being met with a surprising alliance offer from the former queen's grandmother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up everyone? It's been a minute since I've updated this story haha don't you worry I didn't forget about it. Honestly I was caught up in so many things - I was trying my hand out at a completely different AU GOT story that's been posted on my page, but life in general has been getting me down. However, I still carved out the time to push out this chapter for you all. 
> 
> Thank you so much for your continued support in regards to this little story that has somehow become my most popular. I'm still in shock. You all have been so awesome and I've loved all of your comments and suggestions, and trust me, they are all going to be included in due time. I love you all. <3 this chapter took me a little longer to write for a couple of reasons but I'll get into that in the end. I hope you enjoy :)

_Daenerys_

"I _swear_ I can feel him kicking already."

Daenerys felt herself roll her eyes for most likely the fifth time that day. No matter what it seemed that Jon could not keep his eyes off of her growing stomach. It hadn't been too long since she had told him about their child, and yet it felt that each day he wanted it to come out quicker.

"Would you calm down?" she chuckles a bit, pulling him up from where he laid on the bed. "We don't want him _or_ her to come out while we're still here in the freezing North."

It had been a couple of days since the meeting with everyone from the North, and the two of them had taken the time out to properly heal and get ready to travel back to Dragonstone, where the rest of their plans would occur. But over those couple of days, Jon had given her plenty of, well, pleasure for lack of a better word. Which meant he got to see her growing stomach more and more.

Something that he never seemed to stop smiling at.

"I'm telling you, it's going to be a he," Jon states, leaning upon his elbows to look at her from where they sat on his bed. "I can feel it."

She scoffs. "And what makes you think that? I'm the one who's actually carrying the child. What if I think it's a _she?_ "

Jon shrugs a bit and leans up. "You can think all you want but I know I'm right."

Daenerys rolls her eyes before he leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. When he pulls away, she feels herself smile against him and bite her lip. "If it…was a boy, what do you think we should name him?"

"Ah, so you're giving in."

She smacks his shoulder playfully, which causes him to chuckle. "I'm not giving in to anything. I'm…keeping my options open."

Jon snickers a bit at her words before leaning up, grabbing the furs, and wrapping them around each other to keep warm from the wind that blew in from outside. A blizzard had stopped them from leaving. The dragons were luckily resting in a nearby clearing under some of the mountains close-by. He had made sure that they would be safe. "I'm not sure, honestly," he says softly, his hand resting on her small bulge against her belly. "It could be a Valyrian name…or a Westerosi one to make the people happy."

Daenerys raises her brow a little. "I…was thinking if we had a girl, maybe…Lyanna?" The light that shone in Jon's eyes was enough to make any grouch in the world smile. "Well, she and my brother are the reason we're here, is it not? We might as well give her the best namesake she could have besides your dragon."

Jon chuckles a little but nods. "I…love that. Really. It would make her proud." He looks at her, taking her hands in his. "What about for a boy name, though?"

Daenerys shrugs a moment later. "I truly don't know. There's so many to choose from…it's hard to pinpoint the best." She brings a hand over her stomach and smiles a little. "Regardless…no matter who ends up coming out of here, they will be loved unconditionally." She feels his arms wrap around her, pulling her into his side while his hands go to rest on top of her. "I'm going to teach this one all about how to rule…they're going to be the perfect little prince or princess."

Jon looks at her, almost playfully hurt. "You don't think I can teach them that too?"

Daenerys waves her hand dismissively. "You can teach them about hunting and fighting and all of that but with me, I will be handling their minds considering you've quite literally done some impulsive things."

"Oh, you have no right to judge," he snickers. "You challenged a man twice your age and much more skilled out of ego."

"And I'd do it again."

Jon laughs and she smiles, but before he could answer with his own witty remark, there was a light knock on the door. Jon quietly got up to answer it, and the moment he did, Arya comes inside, letting out the longest sigh imaginable.

"Sansa is being the most unbearable prat in the world right now," she states, walking in with her arms crossed. Daenerys and Jon exchange a look before Dany turns to the younger Stark.

"What is it that's happening?" she asks, chuckling slightly. She hadn't seen the girl this riled up since the battle against the Bolton's.

But the reason behind this was laughable.

"She won't let me help with _you know what!_ " she exclaims, letting her arms down in anger. "And even though I have some great ideas it's like speaking to a brick wall!"

Jon looked even more confused than before, but Daenerys knew instantly what the young woman was referring to. Her wedding dress. Sansa had been occupying her mind the last couple of days while they prepared to fly back to Dragonstone. One way was through planning out the dress for Daenerys. The other was sending letters to many of the houses of the North and talking with Davos. Jon however had no idea.

"I'll talk with her," Daenerys reassures her. "I'm sure we can get something going between the two of you before the day arrives. She is prone to keeping to herself." Arya rolls her eyes and glances away.

"I just want to feel helpful," she mutters.

"You are being helpful. Just because Sansa is being prudish about this one task doesn't mean you won't get the chance in the future," Daenerys says gently. "How about we'll all speak about it tomorrow prior to us leaving? That way we are all on the same page before we arrive on Dragonstone."

Arya sighs but nods. "Alright…I can settle with that."

"Good." Daenerys squeezes the girl's shoulder. "Now go and rest. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

Arya smiles at her a bit before nodding. "Alright. Goodnight to the two of you." She nods to Jon, who gives her a small wave as she heads out. Once the Stark girl was gone, she closes the door and returns to bed, where Jon was instant with his questioning.

"Alright, you have to answer the reason why that happened now. What the hell is going on?"

Daenerys snickers. "Some secrets are meant to be kept in-between women."

Jon throws her a look. "Dany, if you don't tell me-" His voice almost sounds like a warning, but she smirks lightly at his words.

"What? You'll punish me?" she asks softly, her brow raising in question at the interruption. "That sounds like something I'd quite like, actually."

Jon's eyes darken considerably, and she sees a sly grin appear on his lip before he suddenly pins her to the bed, causing her to laugh. It was going to be a long night for her, she could tell that right now.

* * *

_Jon_

The next day came quicker than Jon could have imagined, and soon enough, it was time for them to head back to Dragonstone, but not after closing the doors on some much-needed conversations.

First off, they had talked to one of the few men that had still remained not long after the meeting with the lords, and that was Petyr Baelish. Jon knew the moment he had stepped through the gates of Winterfell that something felt off with the man, and he, Daenerys, and Robb had decided to have a frank conversation with him.

At first, he was being the polite man that Sansa had said she had seen of him, but over time once they started to reveal what they planned to do, his demeanor changed. When they said that Sansa was to become their hand and travel to Dragonstone with them, his smile had dropped. When Robb had said that because Baelish was not of blood descent of the Vale, Robyn would soon take the reigns as the leader, he had grown angry, saying a boy could do no such thing.

But the boy was not a boy anymore, and the boy must become a man. Jon was about Robyn's age now when he had decided to go to the Wall. They had to make those decisions. And besides, there was no way that Jon nor Robb were going to let Baelish keep his hands on a kingdom for long.

He had said to Sansa that it was ridiculous, attempted to get something out of her, but the girl had turned off his advances. It seemed that the moment she took the new job she was given seriously, she took the new threats as well. Not long later, they had dismissed him from Winterfell, and he had left, surely not as happy as he was earlier. But as long as the Vale was safe, that was what mattered.

After that, it was early in one of the mornings when they did collectively begin to return. Brienne, Davos, and Podrick had come to the dragons first, preparing each of their collective items to leave. Sooner or later, they had emerged into the courtyard before everyone else could awaken, furs on for the chilly air, and items packed in bags to carry. Jon would take Rhaegal and fly with his sisters. Dany would take the healed Drogon and leave with the others.

Jon watched the departures as they happened. Arya and Sansa had hugged Robb tightly, speaking to him something he could not see before taking a step away, and the two of them had hugged Rickon as well. Daenerys and he had a proper conversation before she had stepped away, speaking on what he was to do next. And then all that was left was Jon.

He had hugged Rickon first, saying to the youngest Stark to "listen to his brother or he would ring his head." Rickon had laughed and said that he would.

After that, Jon had turned to Robb. It was then that he really saw the extent of the pain Robb had been through. His face had aged and he certainly didn't look the youngest anymore, but there was a smile of pride on his lips, one that said "we have our home back." Jon embraces him tightly, and he does the same.

"You know, I was wrong."

Jon pulls back after a moment, looking at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The last time I saw you, I said, 'the next time I'll see you, you'll be all in black.' Guess I was wrong. More like red and black now," Robb quips.

Jon feels himself chuckle as he pulls away from his brother. "Aye, you were…but none of us could have predicted this." He lets out a soft sigh. "What are you going to do now that we are leaving?"

Robb glances around. "Rebuild the castle and our home, prepare our people…and once the time is right, march south to fight alongside you." He reaches a hand out to squeeze his shoulder. "I know that when we were younger I said some things about you I shouldn't have, but I never believed we would be here. You've truly outdone every expectation all of us ever had for you…and that's a good thing."

Jon waves his hand dismissively. "It's not as big of a deal as you would think…I suppose I've grown much more than any of us believed. Hope Catelyn sees that too."

"Oh, mother is rolling in her grave right now," Robb remarks quietly. "It's a shame, though…I wanted to see you two marry." He glances over at Daenerys and then back at him. "You deserve this happiness…I apologize if I was too hostile when we first met again to her…the world had torn me apart. I didn't know who to trust."

Jon nods his head gently. "You don't need to apologize for that…things happen. We can all move past everything now that we did what we had to." He squeezes his shoulder and then lets his hand drop once more. "The next time I see you, there better not be any more fake deaths."

Robb chuckles and nods. "I'm going to try my best not to. Promise that."

Jon smiles and takes a step back. "Be safe. And let us know if anything happens."

"You as well…and I will."

Jon turns after that, heading towards the dragon. There, near the end, he could see Tormund, who had stood by to wait for them to leave. Jon comes to him, concern in his gaze. "Are you all going to be okay?"

Tormund nods. "We'll be fine, ya bastard. We got our revenge...as long as yer brother over there don't do anything to us we'll be on the outskirts waiting to fight when you need us."

Jon chuckles a bit but nods. "He won't try anything. I believe he has more respect for you than some of the actual lords." He turns to him once more. "Thank you…for all of your support with us, through this whole ordeal. We couldn't have done it without you."

Tormund reaches over and clasps his shoulder. "You've saved our lives. We'll save yours. We're in this together now, crow. Oh, sorry – yer grace," he mocks, bowing his head. Jon rolls his eyes and pushes Tormund away, causing the ginger-haired man to snicker, before he embraces him tightly once and steps back.

"You stay safe as well. We'll see you soon." Tormund nods as Jon finally turns to Rhaegal, the dragon letting out a sniff as he did. He watches as Daenerys climbs onto Drogon, quickly helping the others on behind her, as Jon does the same to his sisters. Once they were on, he turns to the two of them. "Are you ready?"

They both nod with excited grins on their faces. Jon looks over to Daenerys and nods to her. He sees her lips move in the wind before Drogon suddenly takes off into the sky, letting out a mighty roar as he did so. Jon speaks to Rhaegal as well, and it wasn't long before the fiery beast had launched off his own feet as well, his wings flying in the wind.

Jon held onto Rhaegal tightly but he still turned around to look at the rest of them, seeing Robb, Rickon, Tormund, and the leftover wildlings waving to them as they flew. He managed a couple of waves himself before holding on tightly once more, heading Arya letting out a yelp of glee before diving back into the clouds.

* * *

It doesn't take them long before they arrive on Dragonstone, maybe more than a couple of days of flying including breaks – they couldn't just push the dragons to fly forever. However, when they did, Jon wasn't shocked to see who was there.

Their ships from Meereen had arrived, carrying their Unsullied as well as their loyal servants. But he could also see the sails of the Greyjoy's, the Tyrell's, and the Martell's – three houses that Jon knew both he and Daenerys were going to have to deal with as soon as they landed. He could also see that the sails of the Golden Company were around the island as well – it seemed that most of their men had arrived right on time.

Dragonstone was an interesting place. Jon had always heard stories that the island was caked in dark magic due to the horror tales that were told about the Targaryen's. But now, looking at it, it almost felt like home, to an extent. A different one than Winterfell. This would be where it began. Their rule, their reign, their chance to save Westeros. The castle was large and menacing, with statues of dragons along the edges that seemed even scared of the real ones they rode. There were torn-down banners of the Baratheon sigil.

Good. Jon didn't want that up there either.

When they did land, Jon got off first, helping his sisters and then the others, who stared at the castle in shock. Daenerys was the last, and once her feet carefully hit the floor of the cliff they had settled on, Drogon and Rhaegal took off with a roar and headed towards the edges of the castle.

Daenerys lets out a soft sigh before turning to him, the warm wind beginning to rush past her face, pushing away her silver hair. Her braids almost became undone by it. "We finally made it." She wraps her arms around his neck. "I truly never thought this day would come."

Jon's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I…" She sighs and glances away. "You know what I've been through. For some time occasionally, I would wonder if I was truly meant to do this. I took on this role almost…out of nowhere once I realized my brother was incapable of doing so. And sometimes I…doubted myself. If I ever could make it back on this side of the world." The smile returns to her gaze. "And yet here I am with you. And everything makes sense now. It was never my journey - it was _our_ journey."

Jon feels himself grin at her words. He had never heard someone speak so openly about this, and to hear her think that this was always meant for him, despite everything he had been through…it made him feel like all his year's worth of issues were meant for something. Even Ned's lies.

He leans down and presses his lips against hers, a warm kiss that seemed to line up with the weather around them, before he pulls away, still keeping her close. "I mean, you did get most of the men. I sort of just tagged along for the ride – literally."

She waves her hand dismissively. "Stop it. You know that's not true. You've done more than you believe." Jon smiles slightly and takes her hand, taking a step back before turning to look at the castle. "And now we begin," she says softly.

"And now we begin," he agrees, squeezing her hand. But before the two of them could head towards the castle together, there came small, patted breaths from below, and they looked over the edge of the hill to see Tyrion, who was against his knees, gasping for air.

"Are you alright there, Tyrion?" Daenerys asks, her brow furrowed in concern.

"The hills of this land are _astronomical,"_ Tyrion gasps before looking at them. "Pleased to…to see you again my…my king and queen. Your travels were…safe?"

"Yes," Jon chuckles a bit. "But what is it that you ran all the way up here to tell us that couldn't wait?"

Tyrion lets out a low sigh, finally regaining his stature before facing them fully. "The matriarch of the Tyrell family wishes to speak to you. In fact…everyone does. I don't want to interrupt your moment in the sun of returning but…there's much that you have missed."

Daenerys nods and steps forward first. "Then let's speak to them then."

* * *

There…were many people in this room.

Jon had known that the moment they arrived in Dragonstone, it would be planning, planning, and quite more of that if he was being honest. But there was something so intimidating about being with all these people. The ones of which he and Dany would be ruling over.

He knew the lords of the North. He hadn't cared what happened in Essos because they would move along to here soon enough. But now…it almost felt like a test.

He could count the people who were there on one hand, but that didn't change the fact that he still felt his nerves run on end. The first person he saw was the leader of the Golden Company, Harry Strickland, Daenerys had said to him. She had also said that he was quite easy to maneuver around if you knew what he wanted, so Jon would use that to his advantage, but knowing a huge army of so many men stood between him and this man gave him great urgency to make sure this went as smoothly as possible.

The next were the main people he and Daenerys had come to trust. Ser Barristan, Jorah, Aemon, Greyworm, and Missandei, whom they had given a warm welcome to the moment they had sat down, telling them of what had happened in the North. For them, he didn't feel that same sense of fear as he did for the others, but he knew there was no chance he was going to let them down.

The third group of people was the Greyjoy's, and namely, _Theon._ The moment Jon had seen him, he had felt a bit of himself go rigid. He was quite sure the cockles man had turned to glass for a moment as well, but as soon as Sansa had run up to him and hugged him tightly, Jon had felt his own nerves leak out of him – not all of them, but slightly.

He knew that Sansa didn't just trust anyone. She had been through hell and back. If you wanted her trust you had to earn it. And if Theon had somehow earned it, he wouldn't hurt the man. _Yet._

Even so, he could see that Yara was of able mind, and had a nice conversation with Daenerys about where they would sail next, one of which they would discuss with the rest of them. Jon had talked to her a bit as well, and he could see why Daenerys had agreed so easily to a union between them. She had a head on her shoulders and seemed to understand the severity of future situations.

The last two groups, however…were the ones that made Jon careful of what he said.

To the right was the Martell's, namely the last one that could do anything about their house name, Arianne. She was as beautiful as everyone had said she was, golden skin, curvy body, eyes that seemed to haunt the soul, but at this point, Jon was sort of immune to that. From the moment he had met Dany, any other woman didn't compare. Could he acknowledge the beauty of someone? Of course. But he was sure that if any advances came, it wouldn't end well for them.

The other group was composed of a couple of guards, and the two Tyrell's he had heard the most about – Olenna and Margaery. The latter looked leveled down. The life that he had heard about from Sansa seemed to disappear from her gaze. There were still marks along her body from what he assumed was the explosion at the sept. But she still sat, poised and ready. Her grandmother, however, would be nonstop talking, asking for the meeting to begin as soon as possible.

He had seen Sansa reunite with Margaery briefly for the time, speaking to her softly. There was something Jon could never see between them, as they had both gone through one of the worst things a person could – being in that bloody castle. Even if none of this worked out, he knew at least the two of them would have that bond.

Sooner or later, they did all sit down, ready for the meeting to take place. Daenerys had stood at the top of the table, with Jon at her side. He was looking down at the pieces of the battle map below them of Westeros, his mind thinking back to when he was in Winterfell with Robb. They certainly didn't have as large of a table as this, that was for sure.

"Welcome," Daenerys begins, her voice as still as the water. It was back to her queen persona for now. "I'm sure you have all traveled far and long to come here. We know that Jon and I have been gone for some time now helping the Starks regain their home. Even so, we are back now and truly appreciate all that you have done. I'm sure we have much to go over, don't we, Tyrion?"

The imp raises his head and nods, holding up a piece of parchment with what seemed to be quandaries on there. "Yes, let's see…first is housing for the Golden Company and the battle plan for how we will use them. The second is the possibility of an alliance with House Martell and House Tyrell…however, I have heard some discussions happening currently."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow at his words before turning back to them. "Well, let's start with the first one." She looks over to where Harry stood. "What is this that you are talking about in regards to housing and battle plans? Are your tents not enough? That wasn't part of the agreement that we made back in Braavos."

Harry scoffs a bit. "I may have agreed to your statement but we are thousands of men strong. We are going to be serving you for quite some time. I think I have a right to know where my men will be staying and where we will be fighting and what exactly this plan is that you have going forward. I don't want them to be staying in the same tents as some of the other soldiers of the houses here. They're worth _more._ "

Jon glances up from where he stood and turns to Daenerys, his eyes asking her if he could intervene. She nods subtly, letting him step forward. "Lord Strickland, I presume…correct?" He nods, and Jon could see that he was a bit miffed the future king had to ask him. Truly he did it out of spite, honestly. "Do you see Greyworm in here complaining?"

That seemed to make the man stumble for a moment. "I-he-"

"Greyworm and his band of Unsullied swore themselves to Daenerys' cause long before she had any money to give," Jon states, crossing his arms against his chest. "If anything, for the loyalty that they have shown, they deserve far more praise and words than you do. We had to pay you for your services. But right now, you aren't really acting like it, are you? You're saying just because we are going to give you coin that you can suddenly be this intrusion on your planning? I'll have you know that _that_ sort of shit isn't going to happen. _Not_ under my army."

Jon takes a step closer, staring the man down. He doesn't raise his voice. Doesn't get angry. Only makes sure that they were eye to eye. And the moment he did, he could see the man begin to swallow.

"You will wait for the orders for your army when they come, as Greyworm does. You will wait for my command, as he does as well. You will have your men sleep in tents and their shelters and ships that you have right now too, as most armies _do._ Just because we paid for you doesn't mean you are going to get special treatment. So you'd best get that out of your head before I do it for you and have one of your lower ranks take your spot. Are we clear?"

"Y-Yes, your grace," Harry stutters, before lowering his head and sitting back down.

Jon nods and turns away, looking back to Daenerys. While her face didn't show much, he could see she was impressed by the look in her eyes before they went back to their normal stoic self. He takes his spot next to her.

"Now that that's settled," she states again, taking a seat with Jon this time. "We can move onto more important things…the terms of an alliance." She looks up to where Arianne and Margaery were. "Arianne and Margaery, it is a pleasure to meet you…I've heard many great things about what you have done for your kingdoms."

Arianna snorts a bit. "It's the only job I've had since I was young. Most Martell men besides my uncle had no backbone." Jon knew she was referring to Oberyn, the poor man that had died defending Tyrion's honor. He could see the dwarf lower his head the moment she said that. "But, the least I can do now is make him proud."

Daenerys smiles at that. "I can appreciate your ambition." She turns back to Margaery. "And to you…I am so sorry for what Cersei has put you through. Are you doing alright after the Sept? After…Tommen?"

Margaery was quiet for a moment before she slowly nods. "I'm…alive. That's all that matters." She turns to look at her. "It happened so quickly…I saw my brother turn to dust right in front of me…if not for the rubble around me I surely would have perished as well. It was the thanks of some civilian that I made it out…I ran after that. I couldn't stay even remotely close to that place knowing what she had tried to do to me."

Daenerys nods gently to that, listening to her words. "I understand…but there is a question that I do unfortunately have to ask before we proceed with anything." Margaery's brow furrows as she does. "Even after Tommen's unfortunate passing, Cersei is _technically_ usurping your position right now. With no heirs and no one else to take it, you would have the claim to the throne through marriage right now…however, since you are here, I am expecting that you don't want that claim anymore?"

Before Margaery could speak, her grandmother was already ahead of her. "We were hoping we'd be able to come to a compromise," Olenna states, crossing her arms against her chest.

" _Grandmother."_

"This is what you wanted for years! And you're going to throw it all away?"

"I'm sorry, what is it that you are proposing?" Daenerys asks, clear confusion in her gaze.

Olenna speaks first. "Well, we thought that in order to maintain alliances and to keep Margaery's position high in the crown, we could form a union. It's what we've done before." Jon's brow raises from where he sat. "It wouldn't be the first time that there were three people ruling over Westeros, and the people did love Margaery…I don't know if they would feel the same for a Targaryen. It would work well in your favor and ours."

Jon doesn't say anything. He had a million thoughts on that, but he could see from the dragon beside him that this was not his conversation. This was _hers._ The moment they proposed marriage.

Daenerys was silent for a moment before she places a smile onto her lips – one Jon had seen before. One that said she was not amused in the slightest.

"That is a preposterous demand." Daenerys stands slightly. "It's hardly a surprise at all that the king and I are to be married soon. We aren't our ancestors where we aren't picking and choosing who we want to be our partners. We want each other and that is it. If that's the only way that you will join our forces, I am turning down that request. Instantly."

"Wait," Margaery states, standing. "My grandmother has a largemouth. She never stops until she gets what she wants. _Don't_ interrupt me." She holds a hand up to Olenna, who instantly lowers her arms. Margaery turns back to Daenerys. "Yes, for years I did want to be the queen. I wanted to have everything I could ever dream of. But being in that castle, with _that_ woman…all it did was cause me pain. I tried to outwit her but she always found a way in the end…now, I just want her gone. My previous dreams can be dashed away…that union was her idea and hers alone. I don't want to steal you from your husband or him from you. I only want to make sure that Cersei is killed. As soon as possible."

Daenerys watches as the young woman sits again, her peace having been made. She lets out a small exhale of air, a sigh escaping her before sitting down. Aemon raises his hand from the table. "Might I suggest something, your grace?"

"Of course."

"Does this alliance that you aim for have to be with the crown?" Aemon asks, turning to where Olenna was. "Clearly you want your family to have more power than before. That much is obvious. You can't hide your true intentions from a man who sees with his ears." Olenna rolls her eyes at that. "So you came to one of the most powerful families there could be. It's a noble cause. However, there are several other families across the nation that we can fit you with where you will have power…say, the Starks, for example."

Jon glances up the moment he says that, but in all honesty, it wasn't the craziest idea. "The _Starks?_ All the way up in the cold north? I-"

"Actually, that's not that bad of an option," Jon suggests from where he sat, looking to the two Tyrell's. "Your house is falling apart. The North has only just gained back their home, along with the people who lead it. Once the wars are over they're going to need to rebuild, and need the help to do so. That could be made through an alliance with the Reach if food was sent over and the North could trade back in return. But I _do_ have a brother who is of marrying age."

"…Robb Stark?" Margaery asks after a moment. "The rumors are true? He isn't dead?"

"No. In fact, he is very much alive," Jon states with a quiet smile. "And what we _could_ do is that if you wanted power and the future of your house, Olenna, there's your connection to the throne – my cousin. If you two were to marry, you'd stay in the North for a few years just so they could rebuild, and then move to the Reach once Rickon has become of age where he can take the reigns of a Prince of the North. He's already under Robb's tutelage. I'd have to speak with him about it but…he might be willing to do so for the sake of the North."

Olenna and Margaery exchange a glance. For a second, he sees a hint of worry come over her eyes. He feels the need to intervene.

"And, if I may," he says quietly, causing them to look over once more. "He's a good man. He's made some mistakes, yes, but we all have. And if you were to marry, he'd treat you well, and the family would too, much more than any of those Lannister shits – no offense, Tyrion."

"None taken."

Margaery smiles a bit. "It's not the family I'm concerned about – I've already had experience with one Stark and she was quite sweet." Sansa smiles softly from where she sat. "I'm only more concerned about what the Cersei might do to my family in the meantime. What she might send after me and my grandmother."

"It's a fear to have, that's for sure," he agrees. "But I can swear to you that if you align your armies with us, we will make sure that your house will not only live but thrive long after the war. You only have to trust us. We aren't some measly sheep sitting in the field. Daenerys and I will make sure we end this before it even truly begins. You will have nothing left to fear."

The two of them were silent. The two exchange a look before Olenna nods to her, letting her stand. Margaery then moves her gaze to Jon and Daenerys, before a confident expression crosses her features. "Alright…we will align with you."

Jon smiles and nods as he sits back down to Daenerys, seeing her smile a bit as well. "Fantastic."

"We better see good use of those dragons though," Olenna warns.

"Trust me, you will," Daenerys reassures before looking to where Arianne sat. "On the topic of your-"

Arianna waves her hand dismissively. "You don't need to sell me, dragon queen." She looks back at her with a smile. "You already bought the Golden Company from me. Not much more I can offer." Daenerys looks as if to apologize but Arianna snickers. "I am only joking. I have plenty of men to offer you. I don't want power or anything else. I only want that Lannister cunt off the throne. I want my family avenged. I don't need to discuss what your ancestors did to mine, or mine to yours – this is right now, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

Daenerys smiles a bit at her words. "We will make sure that this ends the right way."

"However," Arianna states, her brow raising. "I am willing to offer, ah… _anything_ you and the king might need to secure that alliance."

Jon feels his brow raise. Even the dumbest man alive could tell what she meant by that. He glances at Daenerys and sees her hands intertwine with each other under the table, fidgeting. "That's quite nice of you to offer, but there is no need."

Arianna shrugs her shoulders. "Alright, your loss then. It's up for anyone else in the room as well." Jon could see Yara's interest peak at that. Daenerys rolls her eyes subtly before looking back at the map.

" _Anyway,"_ she pushes forward, her hands now resting on the edge. "Let's talk on our next subjects then if we are all in the same position – the wedding and the battle plans."

* * *

The next couple of hours passed by relatively slowly while they relayed everything they would be doing over the next couple of weeks. They had decided that within a week, Jon and Daenerys would marry, with whoever was on the island in attendance, allowing for one night of fun before planning their attack not long after.

There had been a mix of reactions of what they would do first, whether it was quick or not. Jon and Daenerys had both agreed that after some fighting, they would decide what was best themselves and relay it to the generals within a week's time. Jon, quite honestly, didn't want to waste time trying to cut off their supplies or take their other castles.

They had dragons. They needed to use the fucking dragons. And he wasn't about to let anyone else stop them from doing that. The quicker they took King's Landing, the quicker he could get Daenerys to somewhere safe for their child.

Speaking of Daenerys, after the meeting she had walked off without much of a word left to the rest of their men. Jon had dismissed most of them, saying that it was better if they rested for the night and continued to talk in the morning on what to do next. After they were gone, he had tried to go after Daenerys but was stopped by Aemon.

"Is she doing alright, my boy?" the old man asks him quietly. "She seems…stressed. Are you giving that to her? If you are, I'll beat you with my cane."

Jon feels himself laugh the moment he says that. He had missed Aemon's humor after being in the North for so long. "I can't recall if I have. I don't think so."

"Has the baby been alright?"

"As far as I know, it has…she's probably just going through stresses regarding Cersei. I'm going to go and find her now." He rests his hands against the older man's shoulders. "However I have been concerned. Have you been getting rest?"

Aemon chuckles and nods. "I've been good. Don't you worry about me, boy. I'm better than I have been in all my years. I only hope that she is doing alright. As long as she is happy, I can die a happy man."

Jon smiles a bit and lets his hands drop. "Well don't give in to that wish too soon. We like having you here." Aemon smiles back and heads towards the hallway once more.

"I'm trying not to. You rest well, your grace."

Jon watches until the older man was out of sight. Gods, a part of him was so happy that Dany had come to the Wall, but not for him. Even if Jon wasn't a part of this, if he had stayed dead, he would be comfortable knowing that Dany had a family member who cared so much for her wellbeing, along with loyal men who would do anything for her. Ser Barristan and Ser Jorah had both asked him what had been going on before they left. He had said he intended to find out.

He only hoped that he never had to leave her in that situation if need be.

Jon lets out a soft sigh as she heads through the castle, looking to what he assumed was the throne room. He had never been in Dragonstone, but the castle definitely felt like it leaked Targaryen. The walls felt more like home to him right now than Winterfell ever did, in a different way. But then again, he always felt that around her. He could lose everything but as long as he had her, the world could fall apart.

He steps out of his thoughts as steps into the throne room, and there she sat against the Targaryen throne, her hands resting on the edges of it. He could tell from her look that she was lost somewhere else, in her own thoughts. He quietly comes up to her and she turns her head to look at him, before letting out a soft sigh. A forced smile comes over her lips. "Hello, my love."

That didn't sound normal. His brow raises. "Is everything alright, Daenerys?"

She nods softly. "I'm fine. Only thinking. That's all. You need not worry about me."

Jon doesn't buy that for a second. He could see she was hiding something in her eyes. He thinks back to the meeting briefly. They had agreed on battle plans. They were going to be wed soon. What could it be that was driving her-

_Oh._

He goes with his instinct. He shrugs a bit and turns away, feigning ignorance. "Alright, well…I suppose we should talk then."

She responds back instantly. "About what?"

"I actually liked the terms of agreement originally that the Tyrell's offered."

He hears her stand. _Checkmate._ "You better _not_ have said that, you ba-" He turns to her before she could say it, a slight smirk on his face. The moment he does, the anger that had developed along her beautiful features had vanished into one of annoyance. Her eyes narrow at him. "You bloody minx…fine, you caught me." She collapses into her throne. "I hope you're happy."

Jon chuckles a bit and comes towards her. "What is it that would stop you from telling me how you feel about this?"

Daenerys glances at the ground, but Jon comes forward and kneels at her legs, grabbing her hands in his. She looks at him as he squeezes her hands, and finally, she speaks a moment later. "I…don't know. I didn't want to worry you with…stupid jealousy or whatever."

"Jealousy? About what?"

She bites her lip and doesn't speak, but at his urging squeezes, she breaks a moment later. "They're…both beautiful woman and I…I've dealt with many men who have left their partners because they think they're…better, and I know it's _stupid_ to think but I feel like I'm not as…I don't know, pure as them…I'm getting fatter every day."

Jon laughs, but at her glare, he apologizes. "I'm sorry, I…I can't believe you're feeling this." He pulls her hands close to him. "Daenerys, you're carrying our _child._ I don't give a shit what you look like. The fact that you have a little _human_ inside of you is more magical than any other person I could ever be with. And what makes it better is the love that we share for each other. You could lose all your beauty and I would still love you just as much as I did the first time I met you. I'd still only want you."

She smiles at his words, pulling him up from his knees so that he would reach where she sat on the throne. "You really mean that?"

"Have I ever given you any reason to doubt?" he asks her softly.

She sighs and rolls her eyes. "No, I know you haven't…I think it's the baby affecting me." She rests his hands on her growing stomach, looking up at him. "But I wouldn't change it for the world."

Jon leans in and presses another gentle kiss to her lips, his hands leaving her stomach and wrapping around her waist, holding her close to him. He pulls her up from the throne, causing her to giggle as he lifts her up. But when he places her back onto the ground, she gives a gentle push to him and he stumbles, falling onto the throne.

"Dany," he chuckles.

"Stay there," she responds, taking a step back. "I just want to…picture it." Daenerys looks at him, her eyes moving up and down. Her gaze makes him settle on the throne, both his arms resting on either side. For a moment, he sees her gaze change for a second, lust invading it. He raises his brow.

"Dany," he says again, but this time lower.

She shakes her head, chuckling a bit. "I…I'm sorry. I'm only imagining." She walks forward to him again, this time coming to where he sat now. "The throne suits you just as much me. You were meant to sit in one."

Jon raises an eyebrow. "That was _not_ what you were thinking a moment ago." Her cheeks turn a dark red. "Dany, tell me."

Daenerys brings a hand up to scratch the back of her neck and she feels herself smile a bit, before clearing her throat. "I, uh…was thinking what it would be like if…gods, this is so horrible to say out loud." She looks back at him. "I pictured you, um… _taking me_ on the throne."

Well, to say he was surprised was an understatement, but a part of him wasn't that shocked. Daenerys could have a mind like that sometimes – one he quite enjoyed. So, to answer that statement, he reaches out and grabs her hand, pulling her down onto his lap on the throne. She gasps and her eyes narrow.

" _Jon._ "

"What? I'm only filling out your wish."

"Not _here._ They're right outside the door!" she whispers fiercely.

"Ah, so the future?" His arms snack around her middle, keeping her secure on his body. She blushes but doesn't move her gaze from him, and a slight nod comes over her. "How about…we do that when we win back the Iron Throne?" She sees her blush deepen. "Oh, _that's_ the fantasy, isn't it?" She glances away, and he only gently tugs at her chin, pulling her back. "Then that will be a _promise_ to you, my love."

"Gods." She hides her face in his shoulder. "Am I strange to think like that?"

"No," Jon snickers before pulling her back to look at him. "I've thought about it too." She looks at him in shock. "Except mine has been on the steps leading up to the throne."

"Seven hells," she chuckles before leaning in, kissing him again. When she pulls back, however, there was a different look on her face, one of concern. She bites her lip, making sure to stay on him. "Jon…we can't wait."

His brow furrows. "What are you talking about?"

"With Cersei." She gestures towards the doors. "I _know_ that there will be people on our table that will want us to wait. Jorah will think it's too soon for action with the baby. Tyrion might want to be passive with his family…but we _can't_ wait longer. Cersei knows we are in Westeros. She might know we're here…if we don't strike as _soon_ as possible on King's Landing, I don't know what she's going to do. As soon as we're married...we need to strike."

Jon's gaze changes as well, glad to hear her thoughts. "You believe in that as well?"

"Yes," she breathes out. "I…a part of me wants to go directly there and…"

"Burn it down?" he ends for her. She nods, almost fearfully. "I know, and I see what you're thinking. You're _not_ your father. You want this war to end as quickly as possible. You aren't going mad – you're Dany, my queen, the woman I choose to be my wife…and you are perfectly sane in thinking what we must do."

"So you really agree with me?" she asks a soft smile on her lips, relief flooding through her voice. "Gods, I thought you would turn away the option."

"I do agree," he murmurs to her, rubbing her sides. "I'd never turn down a way to take her out as soon as possible. The sooner we gain that throne, the sooner we can think about the future. Not only the future of Westeros but ours."

His hand rests on her bump, and her forehead does the same against his, eyes closed. It was silent between them for a moment, an agreement passing through them, that through this new war that was bound to begin soon, they would do this together.

"I love you," she says softly to him, opening her eyes. Gods, he loved her eyes.

"I love you too," he whispers, before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. When he pulls away, he helps her off the throne and stands, taking her hand in his. "Let's head to bed. Our dragons and Ghost are waiting. We have a long week ahead of us."

Daenerys nods, walking alongside him towards the doors to the main bedding chambers. "Sansa has been talking nonstop on what she's doing with this dress – it's driving Arya and me mad."

Jon snickers a bit. "And might I _see_ this dress yet?"

"Absolutely not! It's bad luck!" she gasps. "You'll have to wait and see like everyone else!"

To which he chuckles once more, holding her closer to him. His life had been filled with bad luck for so long, but he would thank all the gods above and below for giving him the best luck on the planet when finding her.

* * *

_Across The Blackwater Bay_

A queen stares out across the city, a glass of wine in her hands, her eyes narrowed, knowing what lied beyond the sea. But soon enough, she would make sure that it was eliminated. And she would be the last one to stand.

She had gone through everything to get this role…lost _everything…_ there was no way she would hand this over to some little girl and her bastard husband. She didn't care what the rumors said.

"My queen," one of her handmaidens say, coming through her chamber door. "There's been news – and someone is here."

"Relay it to me," she responds back.

"The dragon queen and her husband have landed on Dragonstone according to our sources…and they plan to marry soon."

The woman lets out a low sigh. "Alright then…news we knew would come but news all the same. Who is here?"

"Um-"

"I'll make my way in here, darling." The woman turns her head, her brow furrowed as the handmaiden is pushed to the side. A burly man with long hair, an eye-patch, and clothes that seemed to be drenched from the water steps in, but the smirk that lined his face showed a confidence that she had never seen before.

"Who are you to barge in on the queen's chambers?" she asks angrily. "What is your name?"

"I believe you and I have the same interests in mind, my queen," the man states, smirking as he walks up to her and kneels on one knee. "The name is Euron Greyjoy…and I believe I have a way to get what you want."

Her eyes narrow as she stares at him for a moment, analyzing his movements, but have been thinking about how to possibly end this war before it even began, she nods. "Fine then…don't squabble any longer. Tell me what you have in mind, but if I despise it you will leave this castle at once."

Euron smirks and stands. "Excellent." But the tone that his voice held spoke promises, dark ones, but ones much needed.

The dragons would never know what hit them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol I gotta end on cliffhangers, ya know that. 
> 
> Again I'm sorry for the long wait on this one. I was mainly trying to figure out if I should include the wedding and all the reunions in this along with what's already in the chapter but I decided against it. I think this flows a lot better and it will be nice to have the wedding have its own chapter, full of love and other stuff that I won't talk about here haha and you better believe Olenna would propose that to them. I have a feeling at this point she would be willing to do whatever it takes to keep her house from falling, including try and scrounge Margaery in that marriage. Luckily, Marg has a head here.
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought about this chapter. I always love seeing what you all have to say and I must admit that it's a huge part of how I've been getting through this quarantine. Thank you all so much for your love and support, and I'll continue to cherish all your comments and suggestions until we reach the end of this story. I love you all so much and thank you for being freaking great commentors - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to bookmark or favorite if you'd like to join our little story and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Next up: We get an update on our not-so-quite baby dragons, a wedding is held, and a plan occurs - with consequences that will shatter someone's mind.


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